Starfleet Academy
by T'Liana
Summary: Cadet Zia Abbott arrives at the Academy, and is not what anyone expected. But unknown to everyone, she has a troubling past that is a danger to the other cadets, and Spock is the only one who can help her. When tensions rise on Vulcan and the Enterprise crew goes to assist, Zia and Spock discover that some things shouldn't be done alone.
1. Pointy-eared Hobgoblin

This is my first _Star Trek _FanFic and I do admit, I don't know much about their universe. I just watched the 2009 movie and fell in love with Zachary Quinto's Spock. So, before I begin, I will give you a few disclaimers. This story takes place at Starfleet Academy for most of it, and my OC will be a cadet there. Because of this, I have included chunks of information I've found online to give it the authentic Academy feel. If you don't want to read those bits, they will be easy to find and skip over, since they are in italics. This story took a _lot _of research and at one point I had so many internet windows open that my computer crashed.

My thanks to wikipedia and memory-beta for all the information. I own all non-recognisable characters. This story will also be updated every Monday and Friday until completion.

Please read and review! Support is appreciated!

o.O.o

**Chapter 1 – Pointy-eared Hobgoblin**

It was a cold winter morning when a group of Starfleet-bound cadets huddled together, lining up to board the shuttle that would take them to the Academy. Nearly all of them wore thick fur coats, their breath steaming up in front of their faces. In the isolated state of Utah only five cadets had been accepted into the Academy, which was a lot less than usual.

Among them was a tall, slender woman of nineteen. She was just as excited as anyone to be going to _the _Starfleet Academy. It had been her dream since she was seven, and she prayed to get into physics, oceanography and anthropology, since she was fascinated with space and other cultures. An odd combination, her adoptive parents had thought, but they supported her nonetheless.

The future cadets shuffled inside the shuttle and took their seats, buckling up for the trip to California. The woman took a seat between two others, tugging her hood up further to cover her head. She didn't want people to be gawking before she even arrived on campus! All their things had been stowed away in the cargo bay and everyone held on as the shuttle took off, shuddering as it traversed the distance between Utah and California. Every piece of metal creaked and groaned. _This shuttle must be old,_ she thought. _I wonder how old? _Her eyes, hidden in shadow, flicked around the small space nervously. Thankfully, no one was looking at her; enveloped in their individual thoughts. As the rumbling got louder she began to hum a lullaby absently, thinking of what was ahead of her. For her whole life she'd been teased and ridiculed for her heritage and appearance, but no more. She was a grown woman and she was going to the Academy after graduating at the top of her class. A smile stretched across her face.

Right next to the window, she peered out, catching her first glimpse of Starfleet Academy.

o.O.o

It was snowing on campus. All cadets disembarked from the shuttle, grabbed their bags and raced through the snow to the lobby. Once inside, they formed another line where they would receive their room number and timetables. Hopefully she would get a good room with a good roommate.

As her line dwindled she debated whether or not to remove her hood, but decided against it. She didn't want to be stared at, and possibly ridiculed. Each person moved along, taking their things and disappearing through the east door. She was last in line and bit her lip as she stepped forward.

"Name?" the clerk asked.

"Abbott, Zia," she replied in a clear, strong voice. The clerk flicked to the bottom of the pile and pulled out a folder, handing it over. Zia stepped aside and opened it. Her room was F6 in the second wing. Please let it be good! She all but ran from the lobby, keeping her eyes on her map as she moved carefully throughout the corridors. Second-, third- and fourth-year cadets chatted in rooms that she passed, calling out greetings. At a glance, she saw several aliens in the mix of humans. It was somewhat comforting. She waved back absently and was relieved to reach her room, type in the code and slip inside.

Her roommate wasn't there yet, but the two beds were on opposite sides of the room. Zia dumped her bag on the bed furthest from the door and began to unpack, hanging her clothes and uniforms up and organising her books in the shelf. Then she made up her bed and slid her bag under the bed. She really hadn't brought much with her; just the essentials. After a quick exploration, she saw the private bathroom and a small storage room. She sighed and tugged off her jacket, hanging it up. Might as well get it over with!

Resting back on her bed, Zia waited no more than ten minutes before a short, black human woman came into the room, pulling half a dozen bags with her.

"Here," Zia said, leaping up, "let me help you."

"Hey, thanks," her roommate panted. "My folks just made me pack so much stuff! Hi, I'm Tara Dillard. And you are?"

"Zia Abbott," she replied, holding out her hand. Tara took it and gasped as she saw Zia's face.

"What? What the hell? I don't get it! Are you…?"

"Yes. I am a Vulcan."

"But you don't act like one. They're supposed to be totally emotionless."

Cursing a few words of Vulcan that she did know, Zia waved her hands angrily. "So? Just because I'm Vulcan doesn't mean that I have to hide my emotions! I don't have to act like a Vulcan because I am one!"

There was an awkward pause. "Sorry," Tara said sheepishly.

Zia took a deep breath to calm down. "No, I should be sorry," she replied. "I'm sorry for snapping at you like that. It's just a touchy subject for me."

"I understand. No more speaking. Zip. None," she mimed zipping her lips shut. Chuckling, Zia opened one of Tara's bags and began to help the other woman unpack.

When Zia was born her Vulcan parents hadn't wanted her, and they'd left her on the sidewalk mere hours after she'd been born. It was just dumb luck that Patty and Giana Abbott had found her and taken her under their wing. They'd raised her as a human, steering her away from the usual Vulcan upbringing of emotionless and logical delivery. Because of that, she was more human than Vulcan, despite not having a shred of human in her. Growing up, it had caused a lot of teasing and she had been sick of it. Starfleet was her escape, where she would hopefully be able to visit Vulcan and demand why her parents had abandoned her. She was far from the typical Vulcan; prone to anger, happiness, and everything else. Her parents hadn't minded. They'd been there for her and she loved them. Zia had had a… difficult childhood, but she'd pulled through and was now on the path to becoming a member of Starfleet.

No one from her school had made it into Starfleet aside from her, so there was no chance of her previous bullying taking hold again. Zia was tall and slender, like all Vulcans, with pointed ears, arched eyebrows and wavy auburn hair that fell to her shoulder blades. She often wore her hair out and pushed it forward to cover her ears; a testament to being teased.

"What classes are you doing?" Zia asked. Tara scrambled for her folder and extracted her timetable.

"I've got _Analysis of Algorithms, Collaborative Computing, Computer Simulation and Modelling, Finite Mathematics, Matrix Translation Programming _and _Athletics Program._" Tara grinned. "This is exactly what I wanted to do! What about you?"

Frowning, Zia pulled out her own Timetable and scanned it.

**_Timetable: Abbott, Zia_**

_Class 1 – _Introduction to Physics (PHYS 101) Block-A, Rm 6

_Class 2 – _Advanced Topics in Anthropology (ANTH 497) Block-A, Rm 12

_Class 3 – _Biological Oceanography (PSCI 325) Block-A, Rm 18

**_Lunch_**

_Class 4 – _General Physics (PHYS 205) Block-A, Rm 6

_Class 5 – _Independent Study (LING 495)

_Class 6 – _Athletics Program (PE 232) Block-D, Athletic Compound

Classes begin at 0900 and each goes for one hour. Lunch is at 1200 for one hour. Classes finish at 1600.

"So?"

She sighed with relief. "I've got _Introduction to Physics, Advanced Topics in Anthropology, Biological Oceanography, General Physics, Independent Study _and _Athletics Program. _Hey, we both have the same class in sixth session!"

"Yes, we do," Tara agreed. "You really like physics."

"You really like maths and computers," Zia retorted good-naturedly.

Tara tilted her head. "You know, you're actually pretty cool, for a Vulcan. I think we're going to be friends."

"That's good! I was worrying that my roommate would freak out and demand a room change."

"I'm not doing that. Just because you're Vulcan doesn't mean you're a logically-sound smart-ass."

Zia blinked. "Thanks."


	2. First Day at the Academy Part 1

One of my main focusses of the first several chapters of the story is what Academy life is really like, so I'm including all the stuff they learn in class. This story took a lot of research to complete, as I researched the basics of her classes to give this story a more authentic feel.

The parts I researched are easy to find, as they are mostly in_ italics, _so feel free to skip over them as they only affect the plot in a minor way. Oh, and I apologise for any slip into first person (when writing this I was also finishing another story in first person) as it's a habit now and may not be so easy to break.

Thank you to everyone who favourited, followed and reviewed the first chapter! I hope the second one doesn't disappoint.

o.O.o

**Chapter 2 – First Day at the Academy Part 1**

Cadets had the entire day to themselves before starting classes the very next day. Once they were settled, they gathered in the lobby for orientation. Zia particularly liked the library and the swimming pool. She walked with Tara, drawing a few strange glances. The professors knew she was Vulcan but not that she had had a human upbringing. Boy, were they in for a surprise.

On their first day of classes, Zia stared at the maroon cadet uniform she wore. It was plain and did nothing for her slender figure, especially with the winter jacket and pants on. It was the end of winter, so hopefully she wouldn't have to wear them for long. She glared at her eyebrows and ears and pulled her hair back in a high ponytail, as if to say 'Vulcan and proud!' to anyone who dared comment on her species. It was good that she wasn't the youngest person at the Academy; there was one boy who was sixteen called Vinson. Most cadets were in their twenties.

"Come on. You don't want to miss breakfast," Tara said from the doorway. Zia took a deep breath and left the room, walking straight-backed through the corridors with Tara to the Cafeteria. This wasn't something she was looking forward to. They lined up, grabbed trays, collected food and sat at the far side, closest to the windows. All first-year cadets sat closer to the windows where they were exposed to the elements – cold, snow, rain, hail and heat. Tara and Zia sat together, the Vulcan attracting a lot of attention from other cadets. Was she going to have to deal with this for the whole four years? No, please!

Zia ate quickly. Classes started in twenty minutes. Once she was finished she dumped her tray and joined the throng of cadets heading to get their things. She made a quick stop to collect four textbooks from text hire: two on physics, one on anthropology and one on oceanography. In her room she brushed her teeth, packed the books in her satchel along with her notebooks, pens and tricorder. She slid the strap over her shoulder and stared in the mirror again. _This is who I am now. I am no longer the pathetic Vulcan child. I am a Starfleet cadet! I will not be pushed around!_

Smiling, she strode from her room to PHYS 101 and was the first to arrive. She slipped inside the classroom and took a seat near the front, taking out her _Introduction to Physics_ textbook and a notebook, flicking her pen cap and leaning back in her chair. There was a bang and the classroom opened, revealing a group of cadets took their seats around the room until a bell rang. Chatter sounded around the classroom and Zia flipped open her map.

There were four distinct blocks to the Academy. Block-A was where all the theory work happened – physics, languages, literature, mathematics, history, genetics and many more. Block-B was where all the hands on stuff were found – astrophysics, navigation, computers, mechanics, chemistry, biology, geology, engineering and more. Block-C was completely dedicated to the study of medicine and botany, with greenhouses, virtual environments and the infirmary to boot. Block-D was more commonly used for the athletics program, the combat and self-defence classes; complete with a gym and pool, but it also had virtual ship environments where cadets could get used to the idea of what it was like to serve aboard a Starship. There were four different sets of dorms – two for men and two for ladies – and were organised by seniority. The building that joined everything together was the Cadet Union Building, which was where every cadet went to collect supplies, textbooks, and it even had a bank so they could collect money when they decided to go out.

Zia decided that she liked the Academy. She liked it very much.

A bell rang out, signalling that classes had officially started for the year. Another group of cadets raced through the door and took seats near the back, where they could observe the whole class. Zia tapped her knee anxiously with her pen, keeping her eyes from staring, waiting for the professor.

The chair next to her was pulled back and a Bolian sat there. Zia's eyes widened. She'd seen pictures, but that was nothing compared to seeing a real one. His skin was midnight blue, a ridge ran from the back of his head to his nose and he had no hair.

"Hello," he said warily, "I'm Blair Turon."

"Zia Abbott," she replied smoothly, reaching out her hand. He couldn't be more than twenty-five. "What do you think of the Academy?"

"It's pretty cool," he shrugged. Then he got a better look at the pointed ears. "You're _VULCAN_?!"

At his shout, all eyes in the classroom turned to her. They stared freely at her arched eyebrows and pointed ears. Vulcans were rare at the Academy, since they generally stayed on Vulcan and joined the science programs there, so they were something of a rarity. Not that anyone minded. Humans found Vulcans repulsive, since Vulcans buried their emotions so deep, so that on the surface they seemed to be emotionless. People called her an emotionless robot; a pointy-eared, green-blooded hobgoblin. Then they'd been shocked at the destroyed look on her face. Zia had not gone through the rites of passage that other Vulcans had gone through. She was… different.

"Damn you," she cursed at him.

Blair lowered his gaze, his cheeks darkening with embarrassment. It was good that he did, for right at that moment the door to the classroom opened again and the professor strolled through, a hood drawn right up to cover his head. He brushed snow from his shoulders and turned, hanging it on a hook made specifically for jackets. Zia kept her eyes down as he stepped up to the lectern. Whispers broke out all around her and her paranoia kicked in. They were talking about her. They were plotting against her.

"Welcome to your first year at the Starfleet Academy," the professor began. "I am Professor Spock, and I am your physics professor. When I call your name, please put your hand up." There was a rustling sound as he probably brought out his list. "Abbot, Zia?"

She raised her hand silently, not looking away from her boots. What would they learn in physics this year? She just wished that her social life wasn't in constant jeopardy because of her race. Thankfully she could always devote herself to her studies, like she'd always done. That was the main reason that her aptitude test results had been so high, eventually getting her accepted into the Academy. A slight smile played across her face and she finally looked up at Professor Spock. Wha…?

Her physics professor was a Vulcan.

_Okay. That's weird. Breathe, just breathe. _She took a deep breath and focussed on him. No wonder why the whispers had broken out. With a Vulcan professor and classmate, there was the risk of favouritism. However, from what little she knew of Vulcans: that would not be the case. She was just another cadet.

Professor Spock pulled the lectern aside and flicked the projector on, sending images scattering across the wall behind him.

"Physics," he began, "derives from the Greek word _physis_, meaning 'nature'. It is the natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through space and time, along with concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves." The projection changed to a view of particles moving in space. "Physics is one of the oldest academic disciplines, perhaps the oldest through its inclusion of astronomy. Over the last two millennia, physics was a part of natural philosophy along with chemistry, certain branches of mathematics, and biology, but during the Scientific Revolution on Earth during the 1700s, the natural sciences emerged as unique research programs in their own right. Physics intersects with many interdisciplinary areas of research, such as biophysics and quantum chemistry, and the boundaries of physics are not rigidly defined. New ideas in physics often explain the fundamental mechanisms of other sciences while opening new avenues of research in areas such as mathematics and philosophy." Different technologies flashed across the wall. "Physics also makes significant contributions through advances in new technologies that arise from theoretical breakthroughs. For example, advances in the understanding of electromagnetism or nuclear physics led directly to the development of new products which have dramatically transformed modern-day society, such as warp drive, transporters, tricorders and nuclear weapons; advances in thermodynamics led to the development of industrialisation; and advances in mechanics inspired the development of calculus." Professor Spock flicked off the projector and turned to the cadets. "Do you have any questions?"

"Professor," one cadet said, raising her hand, "didn't chemistry come before physics?"

"No, physics was the first science created," Professor Spock replied coolly.

A cadet near the back raised his hand. "Why is it important to know the history of physics? I mean, isn't it just important that we learn how to detect space anomalies?"

"Indeed, that is incorrect," the Professor told them. "If you know the basics of physics then it gives you an advantage among other sciences. This class is _Introduction to Physics_, where I will teach you the theoretical applications of physics. If you wish to learn a more modern arrangement, feel free to attend just the _General Physics _class. Although I do warn you, if you drop this class then you will be very behind in _General Physics_. Anyone who wishes to leave may do so now."

That was harsh. There was a great deal of shifting in seats and lowered eyes, but no one left. When Professor Spock was satisfied he returned to the projector.

"Though physics deals with a wide variety of systems, certain theories are used by all physicists, and eventually all of you. Each of these theories were experimentally tested numerous times and found correct as an approximation of nature, within a certain domain of validity. For instance, the theory of classical mechanics accurately describes the motion of objects, provided they are much larger than atoms and moving much less than the speed of light. These theories continue to be areas of active research, and a remarkable aspect of classical mechanics known as chaos was discovered during Earth's 1900s, three centuries after the original formulation of classical mechanics by Isaac Newton. These central theories are important tools for research into more specialized topics, and any physicist, regardless of their specialization, is expected to be literate in them. These include classical mechanics, quantum mechanics, thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, electromagnetism and special relativity." The projector was shut off and Professor Spock returned to the lectern. "Now, who can tell me who Isaac Newton was and what he was famous for?"

Blair raised his hand. "Professor, Isaac Newton is famous for discovering and identifying the three laws of motion. His first law states that an object at rest tends to stay at rest and that an object in uniform motion tends to stay in uniform motion unless acted upon by a net external force. His second law states that an applied force on an object equals the rate of change of its momentum with time. His third law states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction."

_You know this, _Zia thought to herself. _Just forget everyone else and answer the next question. This is what you're good at._

"Good work Mister Turon," Professor Spock said impassively. "Can anyone tell me the effects that these laws can cause?"

Before she could talk herself out of it, Zia punched her hand in the air. "Newton's physics is meant to be universal," she said quickly. "For example, the second law applies both to a planet and to a falling stone. The vector nature of the second law addresses the geometrical relationship between the direction of the force and the manner in which the object's momentum changes. Before Newton, it had typically been assumed that a planet orbiting the sun would need a forward force to keep it moving. Newton showed instead that all that was needed was an inward attraction from the sun. To this date, his idea is still not universally accepted."

Professor Spock kept his eyes on her face the entire time, listening to her without a change in expression. He was silent when she finished, and for a scary moment she panicked. Had she gotten it wrong? No, that couldn't be right.

"You are very well informed, Miss Abbott," he said, slowly and purposefully. He seemed to be seeing right into her, picking through her mind as their gazes were locked. Then the connection was broken and he looked down at the lectern, taking up the _Introduction to Physics _textbook. "Would Miss… Lenika please read pages 2-8."

The cadet in question began to read and the rest of the class passed in a daze. When Professor Spock assigned them homework Zia almost didn't hear it, but she focussed just in time.

"Homework: one page on the theory of classical physics and its properties, to be expected tomorrow." The bell rang and Professor Spock turned around to gather up his things. Zia blinked and shoved her own things inside her satchel. She'd taken several important dot points in that lesson; hopefully they would help her with the exam at the end of the term. There would be four exams for every class; one at the end of each term; and her average would be decided on how well she did on each of those exams in every class.

Classical physics and its properties… Hm! She would have to go to the library. Zia zipped up her satchel, slung it over her shoulder and pulled up her hood. A cold wind blew through the corridor and she darted right to the end, where her anthropology class was. There were only a few spare seats left and she slid into one, taking out her _Advanced Anthropology _textbook, notebook and pen. This time she sat up straight and kept her eyes up, determined not to be weak this time. A few people glanced at her ears, but looked away quickly. The professor came in just seconds before the bell rang and put her bag on a table to the side. She was aged; unlike Professor Spock's obvious youth; her black hair peppered with grey and a lined face.

"Good morning," she said brightly, "and welcome to _Advanced Topics in Anthropology_! I am Professor Moriarty, and I will be your professor for the year. Let's start by calling out the roll." She opened a book. "Abbot, Zia."

So it was going to be like this every lesson. After the roll was called, Professor Moriarty began their topic for the term – Ferengi.

"Ferengi culture is characterised by a mercantile obsession with profit and trade, and their constant efforts to swindle unwary customers into unfair deal," she began, handing out some photos. "They are also known for their business acumen and for rampant misogyny. Their home planet, Ferenginar, is the centre of the Ferengi Alliance and it governed by the Grand Nagus and a Commerce Authority made primarily of the Council of Economic Advisors, formerly Board of Liquidators. Like most of their culture, their religion is also based on the principles of capitalism: they offer prayers and monetary offerings to a 'Blessed Exchequer' in hopes of entering the 'Divine Treasury' upon death, and fear an afterlife spent in the 'Vault of Eternal Destitution'. Our main focus for this term is the development of the Ferengi culture…"

o.O.o

Zia was ready for lunch, but she still had one other class. Thankfully Professor Moriarty hadn't given them any homework, so all she had to worry about was her physics work.

She took her seat in _Biological Oceanography _and took out her textbook, notebook and pen. Please, let there be a good professor for this subject. This time it was a balding, middle-aged Acamarian. He was recognisable by the vertical crease in his forehead and introduced himself as Professor Spalding. At the mention of his name, one sarcastic cadet choked out 'Professor Balding!', and earned a stern glance from the Professor. Then the role was called and Zia was the first name, _again_.

"This subject is _Biological Oceanography_," Professor Spalding announced, tapping a ruler against Zia's desk, causing her to jump. "Not _Chemical Oceanography, Geological Oceanography _or _Physical Oceanography_, but _Biological Oceanography_. Here, we seek to understand the life histories and population dynamics of marine organisms and how they interact with their environment over space and time. Cadets in this class will study the full breadth of biological oceanography including microbiology, phytoplankton, zooplankton, benthos, coral reefs, fish, and marine mammals. We will utilize a variety of techniques including SCUBA, shipboard samplers, acoustics, molecular biology, and mathematical modelling to understand the oceans and their inhabitants. We will use the latest remote sensing technology to study vast regions of oceans all over the universe to identify and quantify harmful algal blooms and related processes on unprecedented scales. We will become geniuses of the ocean and its properties. Are there any questions?"

A hand shot up. "Will we be able to go on field trips, Professor?"

"Yes, that we will! I love field trips, especially to the ocean when it's dark and the night life is awake!" Professor Spalding grinned. Zia hid a smile. It seemed she'd been lucky with her professors that year, but she wouldn't be so fortunate in later years.

"Overnight trips too?"

"Yes: the works! In second term we'll be gone for a week, but I'm not sure where just yet. This term we'll be looking at microbiology; the little things that make up our oceans. This means microscopes and plenty of glass slides!"

Professor Spalding was slightly crazy, but endearing. Zia found his class entertaining and couldn't wait for tomorrow, but she was still happy to hear the bell ring for lunch. The class emptied quickly and she donned her hood, keeping her head down as she made her way across the Quad – a large grass space in the centre of each block – towards the Cafeteria, her eyes on her map. She was so focussed on her map that she didn't see the person before it was too late.

"Oh!" she cried as they collided. They both stumbled back and she fell on her butt, her satchel spilling open. Whoever she'd bumped into darted forward and knelt beside her, grabbing her things before they blew away.

"You should watch where you're going cadet," they said. She recognised the voice.

"I'm sorry Professor," she said meekly, standing up. "It's my first day and I still need the map."

"My apologies, Miss Abbott," Professor Spock said, bending down and passing her the satchel. She shouldered it and glanced around once at the powdery ground. It wasn't snowing, but a cruel wind bit at her cheeks.

"Would it be too much to ask you to show me where the Cafeteria is, Professor?" she asked nervously. His face didn't change, but he sounded slightly calculating.

"I was just on my way there myself," he said, before treading away across the snow. Zia ran to catch up and fell into step with him. They walked in silence until reaching the Cadet Union Building. "It is just through the door on the far right," Professor Spock told her. "I have something quick to do, but you shouldn't have any trouble."

"Thank you Professor," she said, smiling slightly. He blinked once at her and turned, striding up the corridor towards the textbook hire. Shaking her head, Zia pulled down her hood and walked into the Cafeteria, trying to muster up as much courage as she could. This time, no one stared in surprise. She even received a few nods and smiles, to which she replied in turn. There was hot soup and coffee that day, and Zia took a generous serving of soup before pouring a strong black coffee. She would need the beverage before long to get through the long nights of study. Tara waved from the other side of the Cafeteria and Zia pushed her way through the tables, her eyes flicking around her as she looked for anything she could trip over. Just as she was about to reach Tara, Blair pushed in front of her with his fingers wrapped around his own tray.

"Abbott," he said, "I'm sorry!"

"Please move," she sighed. He didn't budge.

"Look, I'm sorry for being rude before. You just caught me by surprise. I never thought I'd see a Vulcan at the Academy, let alone in my class. I hate to start off on the wrong foot. Can we be friends?"

She hesitated for a second. "Sure…"

"Awesome! Where were you sitting?"

"Just there." Zia led him over to where Tara sat and they joined her.

"Who's this?" Tara asked, taking a sip of her soup.

"This is Blair Turon. He's in my physics class. Blair, this is Tara Dillard, my roommate."

"What's your major?" Blair asked her.

"Computers and mathematics," she replied promptly. "What about you?"

"Physics and engineering," he grinned.

"That's an odd combination. I like it."

Blair smiled crookedly at her and gulped down his juice. "Hey Abbott, what do you think of the physics homework? I think it's so unfair."

"It's perfectly fair," Zia replied, swallowing some soup. "I already know what I'm going to write for it. My class studied classical physics for a term in high school. I'm actually going to the library after I eat to get started, because Professor Spock will probably give us more in _General Physics._"

"Wait, Professor Spock?"

Both Blair and Zia turned at Tara's question. "Yeah," he replied.

"In my _Computer Simulation and Modelling _class I overheard some cadets who'd just been in his class, and they were talking about him. Apparently he's half-Vulcan and half-_human_! He rejected the offer to go into science on Vulcan and came to Starfleet, and he graduated at the top of his year. He's been here for four years in the same teaching post."

"He was a good professor," Zia said. "He's very well-informed about the subject."

"But it's so weird! He's only half-Vulcan and you're more human than he is, even though you're fully Vulcan."

They both looked at Zia, as if they wanted to hear her story as to why she was so human in her behaviour. "I don't want to talk about it," she said, finishing off her soup. She gulped down her coffee dregs and left the table. Blair and Tara exchanged glances.

"Let's not mention it again," Tara told him.

"Agreed," Blair nodded.

o.O.o

The library was warm, and filled to the brim with the musty smell of books. Zia sighed at the familiar scent and tossed her satchel on a desk, causing the cadets nearby to jump. She winced and mouthed 'sorry' before making her way to the physics books. C, C, classical physics… There! She pulled out the book she was looking for, brought it over to her desk and flipped through to the chapter she needed. Then she opened her notebook, took out a pen, and reconstructed the sentences in the book, writing down her page.

**_Classical Physics_**

_Classical physics includes the traditional branches and topics that were recognised and well-developed before the beginning of the 1900s – classical mechanics, acoustics, optics, thermodynamics, and electromagnetism. Classical mechanics is concerned with bodies acted on by forces and bodies in motion and may be divided into statistics (study of the forces on a body or bodies at rest), kinematics (study of motion without regard to its causes), and dynamics (study of motion and the forces that affect it); mechanics may also be divided into solid mechanics and fluid mechanics (known together as continuum mechanics), the latter including branches such as hydrostatics, hydrodynamics, aerodynamics, and pneumatics._

_Acoustics is the study of how sound is produced, controlled, transmitted and received. Important modern branches of acoustics include ultrasonics, the study of sound waves of very high frequency beyond the range of human hearing; bioacoustics, the physics of animal calls and hearing, and electroacoustics, the manipulation of audible sound waves using electronics._

_Optics, the study of light, is concerned not only with visible light, but also with infrared and ultraviolet radiation, which exhibit all of the phenomena of visible light except visibility, e.g. reflection, refraction, interference, diffraction, dispersion, and polarization of light. Heat is a form of energy, the internal energy possessed by the particles of which a substance is composed; thermodynamics deals with the relationships between heat and other forms of energy. Electricity and magnetism have been studied as a single branch of physics since the intimate connection between them was discovered in the 1800s; an electric current gives rise to a magnetic field and a changing magnetic field induces and electric current. Electrostatics deals with electrical charges at rest, electrodynamics with moving charges, and magnetostatics with magnetic poles at rest._

There. Her page was done.

"When does the bell ring?" she muttered to herself, checking the clock on the wall. It went in two minutes. Zia closed her notebook and stuffed it into her satchel, stopping once to put the library book back onto the shelf, before heading to the second half of her first day of classes at Starfleet Academy.


	3. First Day at the Academy Part 2

Another chapter! Yay! This story is my most popular one, and I'm so grateful for everyone who has reviewed, favourited, followed and supported my work. Things start to pick up in the next chapter, so stick around!

My thanks to wikipedia and memory-beta for providing me with the information I needed to complete this chapter!

o.O.o

**Chapter 3 – First Day at the Academy Part 2**

She was back in the same chair she'd been in that morning. Zia tugged off her jacket, draping it over the back of the chair and facing the front. Something strange was churning in her stomach as she waited for her class to begin. What was it? The churning made her feel slightly uncomfortable, as if there was something strange going on.

Professor Spock came through the door calmly just before the bell rang. He took off his fur-trimmed jacket and set his books down on the lectern, flipping through them for a second, oblivious to the cadets in his room. Every eye in the room was on him and a few cadets in the back snickered.

"For a Vulcan he sure doesn't care about our education," one cadet whispered. At the whisper, Professor Spock's head shot up and his eyes narrowed in on the cadet.

"Perhaps Mister Bishop would like to repeat that statement," he said scathingly. Although the professor's face didn't change, Zia detected how his shoulders had tensed up. That's weird. How did she know that?

"Uh, no Professor," Bishop stammered. For a second, the ghost of a smirk appeared on Professor Spock's face, but then it was gone. Zia blinked; surprised that she could read him so easily. Was it because they were both Vulcan? That had to be it.

"Good. Now that we have that sorted, perhaps we can get on with the class. The topic for this class today is the theory and experiment of physics. Please turn to page 4 and could Mister Bishop read the introduction."

There was a rustling of pages and Bishop began to read, sounding slightly disgruntled. "Theorists seek to develop mathematical models that both agree with existing experiments and successfully predict future experimental results, while experimentalists devise and perform experiments to test theoretical predictions and explore new phenomena. Although theory and experiment are developed separately, they are strongly dependent upon each other. Progress in physics frequently comes about when experimentalists make a discovery that existing theories cannot explain, or when new theories generate experimentally testable predictions, which inspire new experiments. Physicists who work at the interplay of theory and experiment are called phenomenologists. Phenomenologists look at the complex phenomena observed in experiment and work to relate them to fundamental theory. Theoretical physics has historically taken inspiration from philosophy; electromagnetism was unified this way. Beyond the known universe, the field of theoretical physics also deals with hypothetical issues, such as parallel universes, multiverse and higher dimensions. Theorists invoke these ideas in hopes of solving particular problems with existing theories. They then explore the consequences of these ideas and work toward making testable predictions. Experimental physics expands, and is expanded by, engineering and technology. Experimental physicists involved in basic research design and perform experiments with equipment such as particle accelerators and lasers, whereas those involved in applied research often work in industry developing technologies such as magnetic resonance imaging and transistors. Experimentalists may seek areas which are not well-explored by theorists."

"What does this tell us?" Professor Spock said coolly, still stinging from his previous insult. Zia examined his set jaw and realised that she wasn't the only Vulcan who'd been through tough times. If what Tara had said was true, and he was half-Vulcan half-human, and subject to as much ridicule as she had. Gaining his respect as a cadet seemed the most logical choice of action.

As another cadet answered the question, Blair leant in to Zia. "I really am sorry about before. How can I make it up?"

"Being a friend would be enough," she replied from the corner of her mouth.

"You wanna catch up in the library after classes and do that physics homework?"

"I'll have finished it by then, but I can help you research. There are several books relating to classical physics that you could use."

"Awesome."

Professor Spock's gaze flicked over to them and they quietened, paying attention to the class again. He turned on the projector and showed them various papers that related to theories of parallel universes and read them out. Apparently there were any numbers of parallel universes, all of them existing in unison with each other and providing various different paths. This time, their homework was an essay on the levels of parallel universes.

The bell rang loud and clear, and the class filed out. Zia made a show of rummaging through her bag so she could stay behind. Professor Spock reorganised his papers and books and packed them in order of subject, checking that he had everything there. Once the last cadet left, Zia approached him before she lost her courage.

"Excuse me, Professor," she said.

"Yes, Miss Abbott?" he asked, reaching for his jacket.

"I was wondering what Vulcan was like, Professor."

He stiffened. "What would you like to know?"

"Are the science facilities really as magnificent as people say?"

"Even more so, but if you will excuse me, I have a xynolinguistics class for third-years to teach."

"Of course Professor, have a good day."

Zia turned, her cheeks blushing green, and crossed the room to her satchel. Professor Spock was gone by the time she turned, tugging up his hood as the door swung shut. With a sigh, she slid on her jacket, grabbed her satchel and headed for her room. She kept on glancing from her map to the room numbers, counting until she reached her room. It was empty; as Tara was at _Matrix Translation Programming _class, and Zia quickly changed into a plain, one-piece swimsuit, pulling her winter uniform over the top. It was warmer here than in Utah, but the wind was fiercer. She grabbed her physics notebook, where her homework was written, and a pen, and went straight to the library. There were only a few dozen cadets there, not all of them human. She took a seat at the back of the library, collecting a few physics books on her way.

**_The Levels of Parallel Universes_**

_The multiverse is a theory in which our universe is not the only one, but states that many universes exist parallel to each other. These distinct universes within the multiverse theory are called parallel universes. A variety of different theories lend themselves to a multiverse viewpoint. Not all physicists really believe that these universes exist. Even fewer believe that it would ever be possible to contact these parallel universes._

_Level 1: If you go far enough, you'll get back home_

_The idea of Level 1 parallel universes basically says that space is so big that the rules of probability imply that surely, somewhere else out there, are other more planets that have yet to be discovered, outside our own space-time. We don't see these other universes because our cosmic vision is limited by the speed of light — the ultimate speed limit. Light started traveling at about 100 billion years ago, when the known universe was created, and so we can't see any further than about 100 billion light-years (a bit farther, since space is expanding). This volume of space is called the Hubble volume and represents our observable universe._

_The existence of Level 1 parallel universes depends on two assumptions: the universe is infinite (or virtually so), and that within an infinite universe, every single possible configuration of particles in a Hubble volume takes place multiple times. If Level 1 parallel universes do exist, reaching one is virtually (but not entirely) impossible. For one thing, we wouldn't know where to look for one because, by definition, a Level 1 parallel universe is so far away that no message can ever get from us to them or them to us. (Remember, we can only get messages from within our own Hubble volume.)_

_Level 2: If you go far enough, you'll fall into wonderland_

_In a Level 2 parallel universe, regions of space are continuing to undergo an inflation phase. Because of the continuing inflationary phase in these universes, space between us and the other universes is literally expanding faster than the speed of light — and they are, therefore, completely unreachable. Two possible theories present reasons to believe that Level 2 parallel universes may exist: eternal inflation and ekpyrotic theory._

_In eternal inflation, recall that the quantum fluctuations in the early universe's vacuum energy caused bubble universes to be created all over the place, expanding through their inflation stages at different rates. The initial condition of these universes is assumed to be at a maximum energy level, although at least one variant; chaotic inflation, predicts that the initial condition can be chaotically chosen as any energy level, which may have no maximum, and the results will be the same. The findings of eternal inflation mean that when inflation starts, it produces not just one universe, but an infinite number of universes. Right now, the only noninflationary model that carries any kind of weight is the ekpyrotic model, which is so new that it's still highly speculative._

_In the ekpyrotic theory picture, if the universe is the region that results when two branes collide, then the branes could actually collide in multiple locations. Consider flapping a sheet up and down rapidly onto the surface of a bed. The sheet doesn't touch the bed only in one location, but rather touches it in multiple locations. If the sheet were a brane, then each point of collision would create its own universe with its own initial conditions. There's no reason to expect that branes collide in only one place, so the ekpyrotic theory makes it very probable that there are other universes in other locations, expanding even as you consider this possibility._

_Level 3: If you stay where you are, you'll run into yourself_

_A Level 3 parallel universe is a consequence of the many worlds interpretation (MWI) from quantum physics in which every single quantum possibility inherent in the quantum wavefunction becomes a real possibility in some reality. When the average person thinks of a "parallel universe," they're probably thinking of Level 3 parallel universes._

_Level 3 parallel universes are different from the others posed because they take place in the same space and time as our own universe, but you still have no way to access them. You have never had and will never have contact with any Level 1 or Level 2 universe (we assume), but you're continually in contact with Level 3 universes — every moment of your life, every decision you make, is causing a split of your "now" self into an infinite number of future selves, all of which are unaware of each other. Though we talk of the universe "splitting," this isn't precisely true. From a mathematical standpoint, there's only one wavefunction, and it evolves over time. The superpositions of different universes all coexist simultaneously in the same infinite-dimensional Hilbert space. These separate, coexisting universes interfere with each other, yielding the bizarre quantum behaviours._

_Of the four types of universes, Level 3 parallel universes have the least to do with string theory directly._

_Level 4: Somewhere over the rainbow, there's a magical land_

_A Level 4 parallel universe is the strangest place (and most controversial prediction) of all, because it would follow fundamentally different mathematical laws of nature than our universe. In short, any universe that physicists can get to work out on paper would exist, based on the mathematical democracy principle: Any universe that is mathematically possible has equal possibility of actually existing._

Zia rubbed her eyes, leaning back in her chair. That was an hour well-spent. No homework for her tonight! She could adjust to her new life and relax so that the nightmares wouldn't return.

Glancing at the time, she closed her notebook and returned the library books. Something told her that she would be spending a lot of time in this building, so it was good that she liked it. This was where she would do her essays and study for her end-of-term exams. What fun. At least it was quiet! Tara didn't seem like the type to bring strange guys to the dorm, but Zia reasoned that her roommate would have a boyfriend before long. The other woman was young – not much older than twenty – and had been scoping out some of the older guys. Zia made a mental note to ask about it. For now though, she strolled down to the Athletic Compound in Block-D, smiling at people she passed. A few of them did double-takes and a few smiled back. Maybe the smiles would help with her wavering confidence. It was difficult to move on from such abuse, but hopefully her fresh start at the Academy would allow her to recover.

The bell sounded just as she reached the Compound, signalling the end of the fifth class of the day. She couldn't see much sun through the white sky but it had darkened considerably, so it was definitely almost time for classes to end for the day. Thank goodness. She was ready to relax in her warm bed while talking to Tara about anything and everything.

There was a pool! It was huge! Zia raced to the edge and dipped her hand in. It was actually cold, but not as cold as it was outside. She raced to the lockers, stripped off, and grabbed a towel. Just as she was leaving, Tara came in.

"Swimming?" her roommate asked.

"I love the water," Zia grinned.

"Fair enough I guess. The _Athletics Program _allows us to do any physical activity we want in the Compound, as long as we're under supervision."

"Do you want to catch up for coffee afterwards?"

"I actually have to go to the library for some math homework."

"That's okay, because Blair and I are doing physics too. We can grab hot coffee and go there together."

"That sounds great! I'll meet you in here after the bell."

Tara and Zia smiled and went their separate ways. Sliding into the pool, Zia marvelled at the sensation of the smooth water against her bare skin. Compared to other cadets, she was as pale as the moon; unblemished marble. Not even the heat of Utah could give her a tan that many of her peers so desperately wanted. She didn't mind. Her porcelain skin was just another of her Vulcan features and no amount of time in the sun could change that.

She got into a lane and sprung off the edge, moving into a smooth butterfly stroke, her arms reaching over her head, plunging into the water and coming back out in a rhythmic circular motion. The constant, familiar movement was relief from a tense day. She knew better than anyone that first days were the worst. Things were supposed to get better towards the end, and she believed that. Her education was coming to a close and the Academy was the deep breath before the plunge; where things would be awesome. Energy surged into her veins, seemingly bottomless. This was normal for her. When she swam, she was tireless, but once she got out the fatigue would set in and she would feel tired. For now, though, she enjoyed the empowerment. Water was her element – the place where she went to escape from everything. Ocean, lake or pool: it didn't matter.

Time had no meaning and she continued to swim – up and down, up and down, up and down – until something impacted with her back. Confused, she stopped mid-stroke and rubbed her hands over her face.

"Bell just went!" Tara called. Zia opened her eyes and saw her roommate standing next to the pool, her work-out clothes damp with sweat.

Nodding, Zia swam to the edge of the pool and climbed out, walking with Tara to the showers. Once they were washed and dressed they went outside, only to find it snowing lightly. With any luck, that would be some of the last snow before spring came and all the rain. They pulled their jackets in close and all but ran to the Cafeteria, their books tucked under their jackets, away from the snow. Once inside, a wave of warmth hit them and they straightened, shaking snow from their clothes.

"Where do they serve coffee after-hours?" Zia wondered.

"Over there!" Tara pointed. "We need to be quick. I want to get this homework done ASAP and we don't want to keep Blair waiting."

The two women stood in line for coffee and were there for barely five minutes before heading across the Quad to the library, their mugs cradled in cold hands. It was snowing harder and the sky was dark grey. The Academy lights could be seen through the haze, directing them to the library. Zia remembered the way from before lunch – the library was opposite Block-A. It was warm inside and filled with cadets studying, doing homework and talking quietly. Had everyone been given homework? _Independent Study _was probably the best class that Zia had. She was determined to keep her head down, study hard, and get good results. Then, with any luck, she would serve aboard a Starship and put her knowledge to good use. Only the highest achievers got that privilege, and she dearly wished to be among them. Excellent results didn't come from slacking off or going to bars after class. It came from countless nights spent in the library with noses in books and pens to paper. Zia liked hard work and strived to do well, which was part of the reason she'd been accepted into the Academy. She knew for a fact that thousands of people applied every year, but only two hundred were accepted every year. Just to be accepted into the Academy was an honour.

Blair was squashed into a corner, his blue skin making him instantly recognisable. He had a few books spread out in front of him, pen to paper and his tongue sticking out. Zia and Tara joined him, taking out their own books.

"Are you doing math homework?" Blair asked in a low voice.

"Yep," Tara replied. "Some boring stuff about calculations and the roots of symbols. I'll be back in a second; just gotta get the right book."

Zia sat next to Blair and went through the books he had out, highlighting important information to add to his page on classical physics. When Tara came back he had started his page and Zia sat next to him with a different book, highlighting information about parallel universes for the essay.

"You have two pieces of homework?" she asked in disbelief, scanning the pages of her own book.

"Professor Spock is brutal," Zia said calmly, without looking up. Blair's tongue was sticking out again as he proofread his page.

"That looks okay. Abbott, could you please read over? Spelling isn't my strong suit."

Nodding, Zia took his page and gave him the information about parallel universes, reading over his interpretation of classical physics while he began his essay. She corrected a few errors in numbers and spelling and handed it back to him complete. Then she watched what Tara was doing and decided that the mathematical equations were too much for her. Physics equations were fine, but she was sadly deficient with maths. She sipped her coffee while checking Blair's work, making sure he got his facts right. Once his essay was finished, he handed it to her and he rewrote his page to take into account her corrections. Zia glanced at the clock. They'd been here for over two hours.

Finally, both Blair and Tara were finished. They closed their books gratefully and checked the time. It was thirty minutes past six.

"I've got somewhere to be at seven," Tara told them. "I didn't expect it to take this long."

"Where are you going?" Zia asked.

"Some cadets in my computing class know people in the higher years and there's a party in one of the larger bars in the city," she explained. "I've been invited to come along. There'll be guys there!"

"Can I come?" Blair asked. "My roommate is pretty cool too."

"Invite him too! A lot of people are coming. Zia, do you fancy coming?"

"Uh, no thanks, I'm really not fond of things like that."

"Aww come on! It'll be fun."

Zia shifted uncomfortable. "Really, I don't enjoy those kinds of things. Besides, I need to call my parents and tell them how the Academy is. I haven't spoken to them since I left home."

"Party-pooper," Tara complained, but a huge smile lit up her face. She touched Zia's shoulder and left with Blair, taking their equipment with them. The library was almost empty now, most of the cadets having left, either for bed or the party. Loneliness crashed down on Zia, now that she had nothing to do. Spare time was her worst enemy.

She left the library and headed for her dorm room. It was cold outside and snow continued to fall, coating the ground with a thick white powder. She slipped her notebook, pens and swimsuit under her jacket and pulled it tightly around her in an attempt to retain warmth. The wind had dropped off but it was eerily silent, the sound of her footsteps muffled by the snow. Absolutely nothing moved except for the snow and the occasional light flickering as someone passed by. She couldn't wait to get away from the Quad and get to her room, where she could curl up in bed and sleep. Firstly, she had to call her parents.

As she reached the Cadet Union Building, she traced the path to her room, her footsteps echoing through the empty corridors. At any moment she expected someone to jump out and scare her. If that happened, she would hit the roof. She was scared easily. Another set of footsteps joined hers and she peered around into other corridors curiously. What she saw was a pair of cadets on their way to the party, looking excited. Hopefully Tara would already be gone, and Blair too. It wasn't that Zia was ungrateful for their familiarity – she welcomed it – but she'd spent a majority of her life alone and she valued her privacy.

Thankfully, her room was empty. Clothes were strewn across Tara's bed and Zia bit back a chuckle. She'd obviously dressed in a great hurry and rushed out, leaving the mess behind. Zia had helped her organise everything, so she knew where it all went. It took all of ten minutes to clean up the room and then there was nothing to do.

She rummaged around her satchel and pulled out her communicator, flipping it open and pressed the blue button. It dialled in seconds and she brought it to her ear, waiting for her parents to pick up.

_"Zia, honey, you made it!" _It was her mother.

"Yeah, mum, I made it," Zia replied. "Today was my first day."

_"Patty! It's Zia! She's at the Academy!"_

Her father's voice came over the communicator. _"You tell her that her old man is proud. Sweetheart, don't let anyone let you down! Your mother and I will support you no matter what, and we're so proud of you for making it into the Academy. Do our family name good."_

"I will dad."

_"So how was your first day?" _her mother asked.

"My roommate is nice; her name is Tara Dillard and she was okay with me being Vulcan. I've met a promising friend called Blair Turon and he's a Bolian. Physics is my favourite class so far, although the professor is brutal. In oceanography we get to go on field trips to other planets, later on in the year, and I can't wait! The library is amazing. I wish you were here."

_"There, there honey. You wouldn't want us old folk to spoil your time. Just do us proud and bring back your top marks and don't worry what other people think! Will you be coming home for spring break?"_

"I'm not sure yet, but rest assured, I'm coping well. The people here aren't like the ones in high school, so I think I stand a chance at normality. My physics Professor is half-Vulcan half-human anyway, so hopefully I have nothing to worry about."

Her mother's voice took on a tone of disbelief. _"I didn't know that Vulcan's and humans were compatible. You take care of yourself, you hear?"_

"I will, mum."

_"Good. Well, it's getting late and you probably have work to do. Good night honey!"_

"Good night mum."

_"Night sweetheart!" _her father yelled.

"Goodnight dad."

Her communicator switched off and Zia sighed, sliding it back into her satchel and heading for the bathroom. She showered and brushed her teeth and for the rest of the night she sat cross-legged at her window, leaning against the frame, reading her physics textbooks. She was still there when Tara returned just before midnight and helped her tipsy roommate into bed. Then she lay in bed, hugging her pillow, and slept.


	4. Return of the Nightmares

Here's the next chapter, as promised! I'll continue to update every Monday and Friday, but if I miss one I'll make it up the next day. Things are just getting pretty hectic. My thanks to wikipedia and memory-beta for providing me with the information needed to give this story a more authentic school atmosphere.

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, favourited and/or followed! Things start to pick up in this chapter and the storyline kicks into action.

o.O.o

**Chapter 4 – Return of the Nightmares**

The first week of Starfleet Academy was filled with classes and homework. Zia worked non-stop, doing all her homework as soon as she got it. Her nights were busy and she was something of a recluse with her nose buried in her books. Tara and Blair didn't mind though. They had both made a pact to befriend the troubled Vulcan and try find out what was wrong, so they could help her. Since both of them had had relatively happy childhoods they didn't quite understand Zia's problems, but they had their suspicions.

Zia woke early on Saturday morning and checked Tara's temperature. Her roommate had come back early that morning, as there had been a party on Friday night after classes. She'd been very drunk and some sober women had brought her back, giving her to the Vulcan. Her forehead temperature was normal. Zia poured a cup of water from the bathroom sink and left it on her bedside table where Tara would see it. She then dressed in a warm jacket, jeans and boots and made her way to the Cafeteria. There were only a few people there this early in the morning.

She poured herself some porridge and a coffee. As a second thought she got some in a cup for Tara. Apparently coffee was good for hangovers. She sat alone, not noticing a hooded figure off to the side watching her. The porridge was good and she read a book from the library while she ate. It was fictional tale about nanotechnology breaking loose and wreaking havoc on a science facility. Zia was quite enjoying it and Tara wanted to read it after she was finished.

In her anthropology class, they were studying Ferengi and researched certain aspects in class, focussing on their development as a society. Zia didn't know much about them, so she'd started her own little side-project that would help her understand their culture better. There were a few books about them in the library that she'd borrowed out and she planned to get started on her project today, now that she had free time. She planned to do the same for physics and oceanography, but for now she was focussing on anthropology. It was by far her hardest subject.

As soon as she'd eaten she went back to the room, put the coffee next to Tara's water, retrieved everything she needed in her satchel and left for the anthropology classroom. She didn't want to go to the library today, as she'd rather be alone while she worked.

The classroom was empty and she made herself comfortable at one of the desks, pulling a couple more in so she could spread out her books. Most of the Academy was still asleep at eight in the morning, so there was little worry of being discovered. She opened the first book and flipped to the introduction, reading while her pen was poised over her notebook.

**_Ferengi_**

**_Anatomy_**

_The Ferengi are a humanoid species, somewhat smaller than humans, usually reaching approximately 1.5m (5ft) in height. Ferengi have unusually large ears, which are more pronounced in males than in females, giving them an excellent sense of hearing. Due to the size of their ears, they can also sense sudden atmospheric and altitude changes within a Starship where most other species would not have noticed the changes. The ears, at least in males, are erogenous zones; Ferengi are seen to take sensual delight when their ears are stimulated, described by the word 'umox'. The Ferengi also colloquially use the word 'lobes' much as the words 'brains' or 'balls' are used in modern English, e.g. 'I didn't think you had the lobes for that!'_

_Ferengi also have lobed foreheads, large, ridged noses, ascending ribs, upper and lower lungs, and a four-lobed brain that cannot be read by the telepathic powers of other races. They are stronger than they appear, usually shown as being significantly weaker than the average human to give that illusion. Ferengi have a great disdain for fair combat which makes them appear physically weaker than they are and they tend to give up if they have no clear advantage. Ferengi teeth resemble jabbed spikes, and they use a hand-held 'tooth sharpener' to maintain them. Generally, whenever Ferengi are assaulted, injured, or in some kind of general distress, they emit a shrill scream._

**_Characteristics_**

_The Ferengi realize that humans and other species often look down on them for their ravenous profiteering and lack of independent technological or cultural achievements. However, Ferengi often see other races as self-righteous and as Ferengi have come into regular contact with humans their own self-image has improved by comparison. While their criticism that humans took well over 6000 years to develop a central banking system after the beginning of their civilisation may seem lacking in moral force, other arguments can be more convincing._

_In theory, every business transaction that a Ferengi makes is governed by upward of 285 Rules of Acquisition, though the rules themselves give the Ferengi license to cheat, steal and bend the truth to suit their needs. Although the Ferengi have fought skirmishes with other races, they have never been involves in an all-out war. Even on Ferenginar, disputes were almost always settled through extending economic hegemony, rather than through military action._

_Racism is almost unknown by the Ferengi. It is unclear if there even are racial divisions among them. Indeed, believing that a Ferengi merchant would refuse to serve anyone because of their race is almost unthinkable – there would be no profit in it. There has never been any indication that the Ferengi engaged in genocide orapartheid. Slavery was also an alien concept to the Ferengi until they encountered other species that practice it. Some unscrupulous Ferengi businessmen have taken part in purchasing Orion slave girls, etc., but on the whole, the Ferengi don't have a history of slavery comparable to humans. Even the Betazoids remark that humans were practicing large-scale slavery as recently as five hundred years ago in the 1800s. Despite their non-belligerence and surprising level of egalitarianism (everyone is a potential customer to be gouged), the Ferengi were notorious for their extreme sexism. Ferengi women are forbidden to wear clothing, leave their home without escort, or even speak without permission. The Ferengi consider pregnancy to be a rental, with the father being termed the lessee. There is no fighting in Ferengi homes, no abuse, just conjugal bliss – because this misogynistic system has been in place for so many centuries that most Ferengi males and females just accept it as normal. Because Ferengi women are expected to remain in the home and naked, Ferengi males who encounter clothes females from other races find it disgusting, deviant, and more than a little titillating. Ferengi also believed that the Federation was a 'homo-sapiens only club' and practiced racial discrimination against the Ferengi. They are also known for pronouncing 'human' as 'hew-mon'. Whether this is intended as a slight on the part of the Ferengi, or simply a carryover from their language is never made clear._

_Revenge and crimes of passion are nearly unknown among the Ferengi – again, they rarely see profit in either. The Ferengi idea of revenge is more akin to the concept of schadenfreude. Causing your enemy to lose profit, or fail to profit, is considered the best revenge. Despite the goal of vast accumulation of wealth, income mobility among the Ferengi seems to be quite high. A poor Ferengi who has the 'lobes for business', will almost certainly rise to great heights. Ferengi society seems to be based on strict meritocracy. Aristocracy, nepotism, oligarchy and dictatorship are almost unknown in Ferengi society, and anyone who practices such things are seen as unfit to lead._

_Although they may well have made use of nuclear power, the Ferengi never tested nuclear weapons in their atmosphere. In addition, they do not believe in selling products that are inherently dangerous from regular use, as that would reduce their customer base. For example, the Ferengi invented synthehol for use as a harmless substitute for ethyl alcohol, although they were impressed that humans would allow the sale of cigarettes, which are both addictive and unhealthy. One vice that several Ferengi partake in is 'Hupyrian beetle snuff', which is made of crushed beetles and is used much like tobacco snuff. Its effects are similar to tobacco snuff, with mild euphoria but some long-term health detriments. Ferengi have also been involved in the sale of various addictive and dangerous substances, while they may prefer to sell intoxicants that don't reduce their consumer base, they are willing to sell substances that will kill their customers if there is enough profit. They have also been known to sell weapons to both sides in a war, though this may be looked down upon. Even in such cases, the logic is often used that they don't make customers actually use weapons, so they are selling deterrents. Concurrently the juxtaposed, but sequential, Rules of Acquisition state that: 'Peace, is good for businesses' and 'War is good for businesses'._

_The Ferengi have a strong work ethic, and encourage thrift and saving over conspicuous consumption. When one makes a major purchase, it is likely to be something very useful for making further profit. They make excellent administrators as they are well versed in accounting and inventory procedures, and can often apply these skills to other endeavours._

_They do not appear to appreciate class or have a class system. Even though their status is determined entirely by wealth, the Ferengi would consider it foolish to establish an 'upmarket' clientele when there would be profit to be made in selling goods to less fortunate people. In fact, their belief in the 'Great Material Continuum', an analogue of unrestricted free market, often drives them to great length to satisfy a potential customer's needs and to find a market for their goods. It is worth noting that the Ferengi economy is not actually an unrestricted free market, and is subject to the Ferengi Commerce Authority's heavy regulation (the authority breaks strikes and has the ability to seize all assets of any Ferengi who does not comply with FCA regulation. To the Ferengi, profit is its own reward (Rule of Acquisition #41). Arms merchants are tolerated, as with any business. Ferengi Rule of Acquisition #34 states "War is good for business"; however, Rule of Acquisition #35 rebuts "Peace is good for business." Ferengi engage in the practice of selling defensive weaponry to weaker species under attack, in addition to selling to species that are more belligerent._

"Finished for now," she muttered, tossing down her pen and rubbing her eyes. Focussing on a page so long made her sleepy. There was still a lot more to write down about their society, but she could do that tomorrow when she was willing to continue.

She tucked all the books into her satchel and shouldered it, leaving the classroom. As she went back to her room, she saw a lot more people up and about. Fair enough. It was getting close to midday. Wait, so she had been in that classroom for almost four hours? It hadn't felt like that. Tara was gone when Zia opened the door and the Vulcan changed into her swimsuit, covering up with her warm clothes. After quick inspection, the cups of water and coffee were gone, so Tara had seen them and drank both. Hopefully she would be feeling better. Zia zipped up her jacket and marched to the Athletic Compound, intending to swim for as long as she wanted.

o.O.o

Zia had gone to bed shortly before her roommate. Tara had woken with a splitting headache and parched throat late that morning, and had been surprised to find water and coffee beside her bed. She realised that she'd done well by choosing the Vulcan as her friend, and was determined to pay her back however she could.

Tara had spent the day recovering from her hangover while Zia did her anthropology and swam all afternoon. She had returned to the room while Tara was working and the human was anxious after seeing the gaunt look on the Vulcan's face. Zia had gone to bed at nine that night, while Tara was still awake. By now the hangover had passed and she was doing the math work that she'd neglected all day.

A muttering caught her attention. Her eyes snapped to Zia. The Vulcan had her eyes closed, but her face was twisted in terror. "No. No, leave me alone. Go away." Her hands gripped her bed sheets and she writhed in pain, a small cry escaping from her mouth. As Tara watched, tears welled under Zia's eyelids and fell down her face. "No! NO! Go AWAY!" She sat up in her sleep, whimpering, and fell back again, curling back into a ball and crying pitifully. That galvanised Tara into action and she rushed from the room, locking the door behind her.

Who to go to? Who to go to? Uhh, she didn't know who! Zia was having awful nightmares and she didn't know what to do. Tara stood there for a second, and a muffled scream sounded behind the door. Who would a Vulcan… that's it!

She flew through the corridors, straight to the professor's dorms. As she passed, she scanned each door for the professor she was looking for. Seeing it as the third door on the left, she pounded it desperately without stopping. The lock flipped and Professor Spock appeared at the door, still in his uniform.

"Is there a problem, cadet?" he asked.

"It's Zia!" she cried. "She's screaming in her sleep!"

"Lead the way," he said immediately, stepping out and shutting the door behind him. Tara took a second to mentally thank his no-nonsense attitude and raced back up the corridors, throwing the door to her room open. What a sight greeted them.

Zia wasn't on her bed, and neither were her sheets. She'd rolled off, dragged all of them with her, and was now lying on the ground, screaming into her pillow. Her hands twisted in her hair and grasped at her stomach. "NOOO!" she yelled. "STOP IT! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Upon seeing her, Professor Spock darted across the room and knelt beside her, grabbing her shoulders. She began to fight him, punching and kicking in her sleep, a scream coming out. Tara stood outside to ward people off, worried for her roommate.

Inside, her fist glanced off the side of his head and he blinked back stars. She packed a punch. He put a knee on her legs to pin them down and held her face with one hand, pressing the other one against her cheek, his four fingers spread out. Immediately he projected calming thoughts, and was subject to her mind. He saw a little girl as she lay bleeding on concrete while several other children laughed cruelly, he saw the same girl being beat up by a group of girls, and he saw her crying in the arms of a human woman. He saw into the mind of this tortured young Vulcan, who had been subject to racism for her entire life. In that moment he understood why she was so withdrawn when he saw her. She had suffered abuse, both physical and verbal, from her peers when she was just a child. She had scars running all over her torso from the beatings that she always kept hidden. She was afraid of the same thing happening here.

What surprised him most was that she had no memories of her Vulcan parents. All he saw were two humans who comforted her constantly. Delving into her memories, he was shocked to find that she had been raised human with human values. She was a Vulcan with human emotions? That only spelt trouble. She was exactly like him, and seeing her abuse took him back to his own childhood, where he'd been bullied by other Vulcan children.

But hers was worse. The human half of Spock overwhelmed his Vulcan half, and he knew that he had to protect this woman from being hurt again. If sanctioned by the Admiral he would teach her the Vulcan way, so she could at least bury the hurt and stop the nightmares. She carried everything on her sleeve, and that was dangerous.

Her breathing had evened out. Spock took his hand away from her face and pulled her into his arms, rocking her back and forth like he'd seen her foster mother do. His arms went around her and the wild movements ceased. He rested his head on top of hers, and she buried hers into his chest. She sat there with him kneeling beside her, and she still didn't wake. The door opened and Tara slipped inside.

"People are asking what the ruckus was," she whispered. "I told them that it was none of their business."

"Do not tell anyone about this," he ordered her quietly. "I will entrust you with her secret as long as you promise to be her caretaker."

"Anything," Tara told him, sitting on Zia's other side and stroking her hair. "I was hung-over this morning and she cared for me without expecting anything back. She's my friend and I want to be there for her."

"The only way to calm her down was to mind-meld. During the mind-meld my mind was flooded with her memories. She was abandoned by her Vulcan parents on Earth and found by a human couple, who raised her to be a human. As a child, she was cruelly abused by her peers, both physically and mentally. They beat her up for fun all through her adolescence and bullied her relentlessly. Starfleet was her escape and she worries that the same thing will happen here, just because there is severe racism against Vulcans. She does not know how to bury her emotions, and if the Admiral allows me, I will teach her."

Tara was silent as she stared at her roommate, still wrapped in Spock's arms. "That's heavy. Blair and I both knew she was troubled, but I didn't think it was _that _bad…"

"Who is Blair? Can he be trusted?"

"He does physics with her, and the two of us are her friends. I think we can trust him."

"Yes, I know him. He sits with her in class." Spock stared down at the young Vulcan in his arms. "If you agree to be her caretaker, I will be her protector. If anyone gives her trouble, come to me."

"I will, Professor." Tara blinked back tears. "Thank you for this."

The Vulcan looked up at her, his face blank. "I recognise a kindred spirit within her."


	5. Protector and Caretaker

The amount of people reading this story is amazing! Thank you so much! Also, **systemman **asked this question: why do they have textbooks in the future when they can just use PADD's?

The way I made it is that first-years have a textbook and second-, third- and fourth-years have a PADD. Reason being is that about 10-15% (in my mind anyway) cadets drop their courses in their first year because the workload is too hard, it's not what they want to do etc. So first-years are given textbooks that they can hand back in if they drop their courses and move to a different one. When they go into their second year, cadets have a better idea of what they want to do, so they are assigned PADD's instead of textbooks for notetaking, contacting professors etc.

So if anyone else was wondering that, you now know why! My thanks to wikipedia and memory-beta for providing me with the information necessary to complete this chapter. Feel free to skip over the _italics _about the Ferengi and continue with the storyline.

SHOUT OUTS!

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Before you read, let's play a game. It's called 'Spot the Kirk'. Try and find him in this chapter!

o.O.o

**Chapter 5 – Protector and Caretaker**

As she slept, Zia knew it was a dream. Why else would she be reliving her beatings again? The pain barraged against her body, each blow fresh. She heard them calling her names, and she yelled at them to stop.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!"

They grabbed her and she fought. Ignoring the pain, she kicked and punched, trying to push them away. They were aiming for her face, and pinned her legs down. She screamed and their hand landed on her face. The pain she expected didn't come.

Instead, warmth filled her body. Her dream changed and she saw her parents. They held her, whispering that it would be okay. She gripped at them tightly, her arms nearly choking her dad, while her mum stroked her hair. They were telling her that it would be okay – that they would be her caretaker and protector. Then she heard Professor Spock whispering in her ear, assuring her that he would do his best to help her.

She woke suddenly and the room was dark. Tara was fast asleep on her bed, her body turned towards Zia, a slight smile covering her face. Zia rolled onto her back, thinking back to the dream. She couldn't tell her parents that the nightmares had returned, because then she'd be subjected to rigorous therapy and psychologist meetings again. While the therapy had worked when she was a teenager, she didn't want to have to go through that again.

A strange smell reached her nostrils and she sniffed. Was it coming from her… clothes? It smelt masculine. Was she wearing one of Tara's shirts? No, it was hers. Wondering whose scent it was, Zia lulled herself back to sleep.

o.O.o

Spock didn't sleep that night. He paced in his room, committing every face he'd seen in Zia's mind to memory, so that if he ever came across one he could give them what they were asking for. That kind of abuse was wrong, and he knew it from personal experience.

When he was a child, he'd been subjected to taunts and insults from his fellow Vulcan peers, just because his mother was human. He was deemed unclean and disadvantaged, and his peers sought to illicit an emotional response from him by insulting his mother. He'd snapped, proceeding to beat up one of the bullies when he was eleven. Then, at age twenty, the Vulcan elders insulted his human mother, saying that she was a weakness to him, leading to his refusal to purge all emotion and his arrival at Starfleet Academy. It had been a long time since he'd felt such anger, let alone protectiveness. On the outside, Spock kept his emotions a mask, but inside he was always in turmoil. He sometimes buried them so deep that they didn't bother him, but this wasn't something he could bury.

The sky outside began to lighten and Spock left his room, only just managing to walk calmly to Admiral Barnett's office, when every muscle in his body told him to run. Movement inside told him that the Admiral was awake and getting started on that days paperwork. Spock rapped on the door.

"Who would be knocking at this hour?" Barnett muttered. "Come in!"

Spock entered, closing the door behind him, "Admiral."

"Spock. What can I do for you?"

"I wish to convey a troubling matter. Last night I discovered that one of the cadets I teach, a Vulcan by the name of Zia Abbott, has suffered severe bullying for her entire life. Her roommate came to be to beg help because she was having dangerous nightmares and I was only just able to calm the cadet before she disturbed the entire wing."

"She's a Vulcan? Wouldn't that convey favouritism?"

"I do not know. All I wish to ask is that I be granted permission to teach her how to bury her emotions so that she becomes more active amongst the other cadets. No one should suffer what she has suffered."

"I assume it was racism."

"Yes, Admiral, it was. Do I have your permission?"

"Of course, as we need all our cadets in top condition to give them the best results for their futures."

Spock hid how his stomach swooped. "Thank you, Admiral."

"Just make sure she comes out okay." Barnett grimaced, which was his sympathy. Spock inclined his head and left the office, heading for the Cafeteria, his face unreadable. A few cadets nodded to him and he nodded back. Hopefully the two women he sought would be having breakfast already, as it was just past seven. He wasn't disappointed, and met Tara's gaze across the room. She tilted her head and he nodded.

o.O.o

"Are you okay?" Tara asked.

Zia looked up from her porridge. "I just had bad dreams." She shifted uncomfortably, not wanting to reveal the details. But the way Tara was looking at her was strange. "Are _you _okay?"

"I'm good," she said evasively. Blair joined them, his tray laden with breakfast.

"Today there's ice-skating at the lake behind Block-C," he said eagerly. "We really should go and check it out."

He and Tara chattered away and Zia was lost in her thoughts. So it had only taken a week for the nightmares to take hold. Should she tell her parents? They'd worry and pull her out of the Academy, which they just couldn't do! Zia loved the Academy already, and despite her worries, she liked the people too. She wanted to do well and to serve aboard a Starship, away from Earth and among a small group of people that she could befriend.

"Hello: Earth to Zia!"

She blinked as Tara snapped her fingers in front of her face. "I'm sorry, what?"

"You've got that side-project you're doing on the Ferengi for anthropology, right?"

"Yeah…"

"I've got some algorithmic stuff that needs doing, and I was planning to do it today. What say we go to the library and get that done before classes tomorrow?"

"Sure," Zia replied, smiling slightly.

They finished their breakfast and made a quick stop at their room to get their satchels before heading down to the library. It was snowing again and their boots sunk deep into the snow with every step. At one point Tara stumbled and face-planted into the snow, earning careless laughter from her Vulcan roommate.

"That's mean," Tara chuckled, spitting snow from her mouth. Zia helped her up and brushed snow from her clothes.

"I'm sorry, but it was so funny!" A large smile split her face and she picked up Tara's satchel from the ground.

"I never thought I'd see a Vulcan smile," she sighed. "C'mon. We don't want the library to be full by the time we get there."

"It's Sunday," Zia pointed out. "Most people did their homework yesterday and will be having fun or ice-skating like Blair is doing."

"Good point."

It was warm in the library and it wasn't too full or too empty. Of the eight-hundred or so cadets every year, that was a good number. They sat near some fourth-years and took their books out, getting started.

"I've got so much to write," Zia sighed.

"Better get started."

"Yes."

**_Society_**

**_Culture_**

_The Ferengi originate from the planet Ferenginar, in the centre of the Ferengi Alliance located in the Alpha Quadrant. Precisely what the Ferengi Alliance consisted of was never revealed; it may simply encompass Ferenginar and any uninhabited planets that the Ferengi have colonized, since there was little indication that the Ferengi government exercised authority over any species other than its own._

_The Two Hundred Eighty-Five Rules of Acquisition compose the sacred code on which all of Ferengi society is based. They were first written down by Gint, the first Grand Nagus (the title of the leader of the Ferengi Alliance). The title 'Rules of Acquisition' was chosen as a clever marketing ploy (since the rules are merely guidelines) and Gint numbered his first rule one hundred sixty-two in order to create a demand for the other one hundred sixty-one Rules that had not yet been created._

_Ferengi culture is so devoted to unregulated capitalism that concepts such as labour unions, sick leave, vacations, or paid overtime for workers are considered abhorrent, because they would interfere with the exploitation of workers. Ferengi workers don't particularly mind this system, because they all want to eventually gather enough wealth to become employers themselves, exploiting their own workers. In addition to the Rules, the Ferengi also recognize the five Stages of Acquisition: infatuation, justification, appropriation, obsession, and resale. The five Stages of Acquisition may be based on the five stages of grief._

_The laws and society of the Ferengi were extremely harsh towards its women. Selling one's mother for gold-pressed latinum, the principal form of legal tender, is an act that would be looked on with admiration in Ferengi society. Moreover, female Ferengi were forbidden to learn to read, acquire profit, talk to strangers, or even wear clothes. They could only leave the house with the permission of the eldest male of the family. Ferengi women traditionally softened food for members of their family by chewing it (though not all females did this). The rules regarding females were not always followed; some females regularly wore clothes and talked to strangers. Given that Ferengi had no objection to doing business with women of other species, it can be reasonably assumed that their attitudes toward females had evolved over time. Female Ferengi gained the legal right to wear clothing and leave the house in 2215. Ferengi capitalism was coming under greater regulation, with historic changes towards left-wing politics and policies being made with respect to things such as universal health care, workers' rights, etc._

_When welcoming guests into his home, a Ferengi male will recite a traditional greeting: "Welcome to our home. Please place your thumbprint on the legal waivers and deposit your admission fee in the slot by the door. Remember, my house is my house." The guest replies, "As are its contents". The notion that everything is for sale on Ferenginar is everywhere._

She continued to write, completing the section on culture. After that, it was religion, economics and trade, language, geography and architecture, the Ferengi Alliance, technology, and finally-_  
_

**_History_**

_In ancient times the Ferengi and the Gree vied for control of their planet. Both bartered with their gods for the upper hand, until the Gree gave too much away, and became a food source for the Ferengi. Before uniting under a Nagus, Ferenginar was divided into warring Commerce Zones. This was known as the 'Barter Age'. In about the 9th Millennium B.C., Gint started writing the Rules of Acquisition, laying the basis for Ferengi society._

_At some point between 1947 and 2151, the Ferengi purchased warp drive technology from the Breen. The technology was traded by a single Breen in exchange for ownership of several ice comets in the Ferengi solar system, as well as a small ice moon and all the Arctic regions on Ferenginar itself. The Breen then departed Ferengi space, never to return. It is a common Ferengi myth that he took the Arctic regions with him, but since Ferengi do not like to be in cold places, none have ever gone to check._

"I think I'm done!" Zia exclaimed.

"You're lucky," Tara groaned. Zia threw down her pen and leant back in her chair, rubbing her face tiredly. They'd skipped lunch in order to get their work done and Tara was still writing algorithmic equations and reflecting on each one.

"I'll go grab you some coffee," Zia said, standing up.

"Please do," Tara muttered. "I've still got two whole exercises to do."

Glad that she didn't do any of the advanced numeracy classes that Tara did, Zia zipped up her jacket and headed outside. The snow had stopped, which was a relief, and there was no wind, leaving everything eerily still. When she got there the Cafeteria was half-full of cadets stopping in for a snack. She poured two long blacks into mugs and covered them with her hands, heading back outside. There were a few other people crossing the Quad but no one stopped to chat. At least it would be getting warmer soon. As she reached the library, Professor Spock opened the door on his way out.

"Cadet," he said to get her attention.

"Yes Professor, what is it?"

"I was hoping I could speak with you."

"Uh, sure… just let me take some coffee to my roommate and I'll be right out."

She went into the library, thoroughly confused. What did he want to speak to her about? Was it her first piece of _General Physics _homework? After handing it in she'd realised that she'd written it in second-person and had mentally berated herself for not noticing. Maybe he was informing her of that. But his manner was too calm, too casual. She handed Tara a coffee and turned to head back out.

"Where're you going this time?" Tara asked, blowing on her coffee.

"Professor Spock wants to talk to me," Zia shrugged. "I think it's about the essay I wrote in second-person earlier in the week."

"Well don't keep him waiting," Tara said distractedly, glaring at her algorithmic textbook.

He was still there when Zia came outside, cradling her own coffee in her hands. She sipped it as they walked around the Quad, Professor Spock seeming to search for words.

"The Academy does not see many Vulcans," he said conversationally. "It was something of a surprise to have one in my class, and I do admit I am slightly curious. I grew up on Vulcan and knew all the others, but I have never seen you before."

"Oh, I didn't grow up on Vulcan, Professor," Zia stammered. Where was this going?

"Please, call me Spock. Where did you grow up?"

"Um, on Earth, but I don't really like to talk about it."

"Miss Abbott, I am telepathic." Amusement was seeping into his tone. "Most Vulcans are, and I do not have to be telepathic to know that something is wrong. In class you are distraught and that is not the Vulcan way. As a fellow Vulcan, I am concerned."

"I'm sorry, Professor, but I really don't want to talk about it."

Spock was looking at her calculatingly. "Allow me to share something about myself. Undoubtedly you have heard that I am half-Vulcan half-human. That is true. My mother is human and my father married her because she was an ambassador from Earth. Throughout my entire childhood, until I was twenty, my peers taunted me with insults about her. Growing up, my human side was most dominant and I lashed out a few times. At age twenty, I was accepted into the Vulcan Academy of Science and was due to begin Kolinahr, a ritual which would purge all emotion from me. However the counsellors claimed that I did well, despite my disadvantage of having a human mother. It was then that I realised that I would not be accepted on Vulcan, so I came here to the Academy. For the first year I endured curious looks and provocation, but that ceased quickly and as soon as I graduated I applied for a teaching position, and I have been teaching for over four years. Now I am more content than I have been in a long time."

As he said this, Zia was looking down at her shoes in embarrassment: partly because she was having a conversation this intimate with her Professor, and partly because she related but was too afraid to say so.

"Uh, I don't understand," she stuttered.

"Yes, you do," he said earnestly. "I believe that you know what it is like to be bullied. If you admit to it, I can help you."

She gave him a funny look. Spock had never paid her extra attention, and now he was offering to solve her problems. A night free of bad dreams was an attractive offer, but she still didn't know his reasons. "Why?"

"We are kindred spirits," he said simply. That wasn't the explanation she was looking for.

"No, that's not what I mean. I want to know why you're suddenly so interested."

"You and I are the same race, but you have not been taught the Vulcan way and that leaves you vulnerable. I wish to teach you how to bury your emotions."

"Look, I'm fine how I am."

"Are you?"

She paled. "I was screaming in my sleep, wasn't I?"

"Yes."

"Oh God," she rubbed her face in annoyance. "Did I hurt anyone?"

"Only the side of my face, but I am alright."

Panic fluttered within her. The smell! It was him! "Are you okay?"

"I will be. Your roommate sought my help and I was able to mind-meld in time and calm you down. Now I wish to train you as a Vulcan, which will eliminate your nightmares."

They were passing a snow-covered bench and she brushed it off, sitting down. Spock sat beside her, his hands on his knees. "I was bullied," she said quietly, "every day. The whole school was against me. They called me names and beat me up after school. I had no one to talk to, save my parents, and I had my first episode when I was ten. I'd sleepwalked and attacked the neighbour's dog, waking everyone up, but I don't remember it. After that my parents sent me to a physiologist every day for extensive therapy and I calmed considerably, but occasionally I would wake up screaming. The bullying stopped mere months ago, just after I sent in my application to Starfleet. I spent all my time holed up at home, praying to be accepted. When I got the letter, I was overjoyed. I still carry the scars." She bowed her head. "I don't want to hurt anyone again. If you teach me the Vulcan way, it would save me from the psychologist again and my parents wouldn't worry as much. Although I do admit, a peaceful night is a welcome thought."

Spock met her eyes and while his face didn't change, she saw sympathy swirling in their depths. He had soft brown eyes, framed by his arched eyebrows and straight-cut black hair. Zia's eyes strayed to the tips of his ears, almost hidden in his hood, and she stared.

"Am I the first Vulcan you have seen?" he asked.

"Yeah," she nodded. "It's kinda weird."

"I have not seen any Vulcan, excluding my father, since I was twenty."

"So you're… twenty-eight? That's young for a professor."

"The Admiral took my race into account, despite my history with violence. Compared to humans, Vulcans score extremely high with academics."

The panic was gone, and Zia found that she was relaxed. It felt good to tell someone, even if it was her physics professor. He'd said that they were kindred spirits, and she believed him. Besides, he was only twenty-eight, and she was turning twenty that year during summer break. They were a similar age, and once Vulcans matured they aged slowly from then on. She didn't know when she would reach her maturity and didn't think about it.

"What will I need to do?" she asked.

"There is a Vulcan ritual called Kolinahr that purges all emotion. Certain aspects of the ritual, such as mediation and fasting, will be important for your recovery. You will need to learn the importance of logic and embrace your true nature. However you will never truly be one of them, as Vulcan children begin learning before they are four, and attend harsh schooling all through their childhood. You did none of this, so you will never be one with logic, but you can learn enough about it to bury your emotions."

"How long will it take?"

"That depends on how hard you work for it. Let us say you come to my office every two nights, to begin with?"

"I suppose to."

"Come tomorrow at six, after class. That should give you plenty of time to complete your homework."

Zia was beginning to feel cold. She'd never liked cold, preferring the stifling heat of summer. Now she wanted to curl up in a warm spot by herself and try to get everything sorted out.

"You are cold," Spock said. He reached out, but his hand dropped. At her questioning glance he elaborated. "The mind-meld is commonly activated by touch and Vulcans avoid touching whenever possible, for a mind-meld without permission is a breach of privacy."

"Understandable," she nodded. "I-I should go… Tara is probably wondering where I am."

"Yes." He stood and inclined his head, the Professor Façade falling into place. "Have a good day, cadet."

Once he was out of sight, Zia stood and tossed her empty coffee cup in a bin before running to the library. Tara was sleeping with her face on her textbook, her homework finished. Zia grabbed a pen and nudged Tara's nose, causing it to twitch. Smiling, she nudged harder and a hand came to swat it away.

"Wake up," Zia whispered. Tara snorted and flew up, her hair mussed and eyes squinted.

"Leave me alone!" she whined, hitting Zia's shoulder.

"It's four, and we've been in here since nine. We should see if we can catch an early dinner."

"Good idea." Yawning, Tara stood and slowly gathered her things, Zia doing the same beside her. The library had slowly filled throughout the day and several cadets laughed in a corner while others read books or wrote paragraphs.

"You look really tired," Zia said as they left.

"I am. So you've got the anthropology file done?"

"Yes. I'm doing oceanography as soon as I can. You should do the same thing!"

"I'd love to, but I can't. My subjects are very different and I can't just write down information. For a couple of them I work on just computers and for the rest I have to write equations and learn extremely difficult algorithms. Thank whoever is listening that we have weekends! I wouldn't survive without them." Tara swept her hair behind her ears and smiled at a pair of men that they passed. One looked Zia up and down, while the other had eyes for Tara. Zia shifted and turned her head, showing her ears. Surprisingly, he didn't look away. He smiled and something fluttered in her chest. No, she couldn't afford distractions. Any man spelt trouble – she knew that. Besides, she had serious trust issues and wouldn't open up to anyone easily.

As soon as the men were out of sight Tara spun to face her roommate. "They were totally handsome! And the brunette liked what he saw with you."

"Tara, I am not here to date. You know I have trust issues."

"Good point. Since you aren't going to date, I'm going to enjoy seeing you put down all the guys who ask you out."

"That's not likely. I've never been asked out in my life."

Yet she couldn't shake the uncomfortable feeling that things had changed, and that Tara was right.


	6. Course Outlines

Another chapter! Yay! My thanks to wikipedia and memory-beta for providing me with the information necessary to complete this chapter. I own all non-recognisable characters (Zia, Tara, Blair, etc). Just a note, the storyline really kicks into action in the next chapter and you have some real Zia/Spock bonding moments!

Constructive criticism is welcomed. Review review review! I love getting them :D

o.O.o

**Chapter 6 – Course Outlines**

The very next morning Zia arrived early to physics. She hadn't slept at all that night, for fear that she would have nightmares again, but she wasn't tired. Vulcans could stay awake for weeks and not feel tired, as long as they were in the right conditions. There was something strange in her stomach – anticipation. She wanted to know that their conversation yesterday wasn't a dream and desperately wanted to see Spock. The thought that there could be someone out there who cared was somewhat comforting.

He walked through the door just before he bell rang, and his eyes met Zia's. So it wasn't a dream. Relief surged through her and she kept her face blank as he prepared for the class. Now she could be a normal cadet.

"Today's class is on atomic, molecular and optical physics," Spock told them, switching on the projector so it showed the protons, neutrons and electrons that made up an atom. "What do you know about these areas?"

Zia's hand punched the air. "Atoms are made of three different materials – protons, neutrons and electrons. Protons are positive energy, electrons are negative energy and neutrons are neutral. An atom has a nucleus, made up of protons and neutrons, and electrons orbit the nucleus to balance it out."

"Thank you cadet," Spock said briskly. "Atomic, molecular and optical physics is the study of matter-matter and light-matter interactions on the scale of single atoms and molecules. The three areas are grouped together because of their interrelationships, the similarity of methods used, and the commonality of the energy scales that are relevant. All three areas include both classical, semi-classical and quantum treatments; they can treat their subject from a microscopic view, in contrast to a macroscopic view. Atomic physics studies the electron shells of atoms, as Miss Abbott said. Current research focusses on activities in quantum control, cooling and trapping of atoms and ions, low temperature collision dynamics and the effects of electron correlation on structure and dynamics. Atomic physics is influenced by the nucleus, but intra-nuclear phenomena such as fission and fusion are considered part of high-energy physics. Molecular physics focusses on multi-atomic structures and their internal and external interactions with matter and light. Optical physics is distinct from optics in that it tends to focus not on the control of classical light fields by macroscopic objects, but on the fundamental properties of optical fields and their interactions with matter in the microscopic realm."

"Excuse me Professor?" Bishop asked, raising his hand. "How high are electron capacities?"

Zia rolled her eyes. She'd learnt this in junior high school.

"There are six atom shells made up by electrons," Spock explained. "The first ring carries two, the second carries eight-"

_The third carries eighteen, the fourth carries thirty-two, the fifth carries fifty, the sixth carries seventy-two and the seventh carries ninety-eight, _Zia thought to herself, her thoughts in unison with Spock's explanation.

"How do we find these shells?" Spock asked.

A cadet that Zia had never met raised her hand. "You find the shells by squaring the number of rings and multiplying that by two."

"Excellent work, Miss Knox, as it is that formula that all atom-based physics is founded upon. Its subject matter includes nature, the properties of matter and energy, mechanics, heat, light and other radiation, sound, electricity, magnetism, and the structure of atoms."

Zia made a quick reminder in her notebook.

**_Physics_**

_The branch of science concerned with the nature and properties of matter and energy. The subject matter of physics includes mechanics, heat, light and other radiation, sound, electricity, magnetism, and the structure of atoms._

"What's macroscopic?" a cadet asked. "I don't think I've heard that term before."

"Macroscopic is used to describe objects which can be seen with the naked eye," Zia blurted, surprising even her. All eyes in the room were now trained on her, but the only ones that had any impact were Spock's.

"That is correct, Miss Abbott. While macroscopic and microscopic have similar sounds, there is a great difference between them. Both terms are used to describe size, however microscopic is used to describe an object that can only be seen under a microscope, and macroscopic is a term for objects that are visible to the naked eye. They are expressions that you will become very familiar with throughout this term. And now, I have something to hand out to you." Spock picked up a sheaf of paper and walked around the room, handing one to each cadet. "This is your course outline for the term, though painfully overdue. It gives you a general consensus of what is required for this term of work.

Zia received hers and stared at the single sheet.

**_Course Outline: PHYS 101_**

**_Week 1_**_ – Classical Physics_

**_Week 2_**_ – Atoms_

**_Week 3_**_ – Mechanics_

**_Week 4_**_ – Heat_

**_Week 5_**_ – Light and Other Radiation_

**_Week 6_**_ – Sound_

**_Week 7_**_ – Electricity_

**_Week 8_**_ – Magnetism_

**_Week 9_**_ – Properties of Matter and Energy_

**_Week 10_**_ – Assessment on previous nine topics_

A groan emanated through the class. Now they had nine whole topics, and one week per topic? That was awful!

Zia was one of the only people who remained silent, anticipation bubbling in her stomach. They would be given one lesson per day – five hours a week – to remember everything. She wondered about the exam schedule, seeing as there was one week of full-on assessment.

"Excuse me, Professor?" She raised her hand. "What is the general exam schedule?"

"All exams are two hours long," Spock explained. "They will take place over the space of a week, with several being sat in one day. Quite often, there will be exams before and after class hours to accommodate the number of courses. As there are sixty courses per year, not including Starfleet Medical Academy, the whole Academy is under a strict regime for the entire week. In the weeks before assessment, I will be letting you know what is accepted for your physics exam, as the other professors will be doing with your other classes."

As the bell rang, everyone jumped. It was so sudden and loud that they were surprised, as they had been for the previous week. Soon the sound of the bell would become normal and they'd adapt, but it had only been a week.

"Homework: a complete periodic table with a diagram of each atom, complete with protons, neutrons and electrons!" Spock called, "to be due tomorrow!"

Zia shut her notebook and got caught in the mad rush for the door, smiling at Blair as he left for his next class. He saluted at her in jest and they went their separate ways, thinking about their assessment week. It was looming closer, but they would go through sixteen of those weeks before graduating. The last week was the most important ever, as it determined their career paths in the future. Zia harboured a deep desire to serve aboard a Starship and study space anomalies and other cultures.

Professor Moriarty bounced into the classroom just before Zia sat down. The Vulcan took out her notebook and waited as the professor switched on the projector and displayed the Ferengi language. It was slightly animated, as if a futuristic version of a Ferengi stock ticker. But it did resemble a flow chart, which matched Zia's research.

"So," Professor Moriarty said, "who has seen our Ferengi on campus?" No one moved. "That's a pity. His name is Bok, and he's the accountant of the Academy. Unlike most of his kind, Bok can tolerate dressed females and resist the urge to cheat with money."

"Pardon, Professor," a cadet said, "but what do you mean by 'dressed females'?"

"Does anyone know what I mean?" the professor asked in exasperation, waving her hands around. Zia raised her hand, and was chastened as hers was the only one raised. Professor Moriarty was the only one who was pleased; the other cadets wore looks of loathing. Of course it had to be a _Vulcan _who'd done all the extra work. "At least someone does! Well, Bok is an excellent source of information for anyone wanting to know more about the culture. Now: we're looking at the language and how many word derivatives there are."

Everything said in that lesson were things that Zia already knew. She just wrote down the occasional fact that she didn't have, and that was generally just little things about the Ferengi language and its pronunciation. It was fairly relaxing, at least, until they were given the course outline for that class, yet again painfully overdue.

**_Course Outline: ANTH 497_**

**_Week 1_**_ – History_

**_Week 2_**_ – Language_

**_Week 3_**_ – Anatomy_

**_Week 4_**_ – Culture_

**_Week 5_**_ – Characteristics_

**_Week 6_**_ – Economics and Trade_

**_Week 7_**_ – Geography and Architecture_

**_Week 8_**_ – Technology_

**_Week 9_**_ – Religion_

**_Week 10_**_ – Assessment on previous nine topics_

There was another collective moan. It seemed that all the course outlines were being handed out today. Zia fully expected to get one for oceanography.

"We did history last week," Professor Moriarty explained, "and this week we're focussing mainly on the language and its application within Ferengi culture. This is very useful for when you're trapped on Ferenginar with no way off. Of course, if you are in my first-year xynolinguistics class, you're learning to speak the basics of the language this term. Okay! Homework: I want you to write out the Ferengi alphabet with English translations and form a few basic sentences to be shown to the class tomorrow."

Zia wrote down the homework and the bell rang mere minutes later. She shouldered her satchel and walked up the corridor to Room 18, taking her seat close to the door. Professor Spalding was already in there, and the first thing he did was hand out their course outlines.

**_Course Outline: PSCI 325_**

**_Week 1_**_ – Oceans throughout the Universe_

**_Week 2_**_ – Microbiology_

**_Week 3_**_ – Phytoplankton_

**_Week 4_**_ – Zooplankton_

**_Week 5_**_ – Benthos_

**_Week 6_**_ – Coral Reefs_

**_Week 7_**_ – Fish_

**_Week 8_**_ – Marine Mammals_

**_Week 9_**_ – Ocean Properties_

**_Week 10_**_ – Assessment on previous nine topics_

"The overall theme is microbiology," Professor Spalding told the class as they digested the news. "A location has been chosen for our overnight field-trip next term – Azati Prime."

Excited chatter broke out around the room. "Are we really going there?" a cadet asked. "That's the planet of the Xindi!"

"Yes, as well as the second-, third- and fourth-year oceanography classes and the four xynolinguistics classes. It'll be a big trip; at least one-hundred and sixty cadets, if not more."

"Why are the xynolinguistics classes coming too?"

"Ms Bryant, those classes will be mingling with the locals and putting their knowledge of language and culture to the test. We, however, will be studying the oceans. Better pack your tricorders! Now: back to the subject at hand."

While Professor Spalding spoke, Zia was writing as fast as she could to get everything done and to start her oceanography project.

**_Microbiology_**

_It is the study of microscopic organisms, either unicellular (single cell), multicellular (cell colony), or acellular (lacking cells). Microbiology encompasses numerous branches including virology, mycology, parasitology, and bacteriology._

_Microbiologists traditionally relied on culture, staining, and microscopy. However, less than 1% of the microorganisms present in common environments can be cultured in isolation using current means. Microbiologists often rely on extraction or detection of nucleic acid, either DNA or RNA sequences._

_As an application of microbiology, medical microbiology is often introduced with medical principles of immunology as microbiology and immunology. Otherwise, microbiology, virology, and immunology as basic sciences have greatly exceeded the medical variants, applied sciences._

As she wrote, she failed to see how any of this had relevance to the ocean.

"To understand how microbiology is relevant to our studies," Professor Spalding said, "we must understand the essence of this branch of science. That's what todays lesson is about. Tomorrow we will move onto the presence of microbiology in Earth's oceans, and then oceans on other planets."

Class continued, and Zia listened as best as she could. Her attention had started to wane at the end of class, and it was a relief to hear the bell ring.

"Homework: a list of all branches of microbiology and a sentence on each one!" Professor Spalding yelled.

Zia had had enough of course outlines for the day, but there was still the one for _General Physics. _What would they be doing in the _Athletics Program_? Obviously it was a different class entirely, just like _Independent Study_. She packed her things and moved away from the cadets, going in the opposite direction to the library. As a Vulcan, she could go without food for weeks and not feel any different. She just preferred to eat food as she felt better afterwards. It was the same with sleep, but she would only eat and sleep when she had the time – and right now she didn't. And it was only her second week at the Academy! Well, cadets that didn't do their homework achieved nil compared to those that did and Zia pitied humans, as it was compulsory for them to eat and sleep so their body could function.

There were only twenty or so determined cadets holed up in the library doing work, most of them fourth-years. Zia sat at a table, opened her textbook to the periodic table and copied down all of the elements there. Then, using her legend she drew small diagrams of each element, complete with protons, neutrons and electrons. She drew each separate particle, marking it with a plus-symbol, negative-symbol, or leaving it blank. _Hydrogen, helium, lithium, beryllium, boron, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen… _As there were over two hundred elements, it was one of her more time-consuming pieces of work. Nevertheless, she worked diligently and got seventy done before the bell rang for the end of lunch.

o.O.o

Zia hummed to herself as she waited for Blair in her _General Physics _class. He came in, holding a sandwich to his face and stuffing it into his mouth desperately.

"I barely had time to eat," he told Zia, his mouth full. "I was doing that physics at the table with the other guys and the bell went before I'd taken a single bite!"

Laughing, Zia tapped the table next to her. "You better sit down before you pass out from hunger!"

Blair looked like a lost puppy as he sat down, finishing off his sandwich. He pulled a small bottle of juice from his pocket and gulped it down as Spock walked through the door. The Vulcan strolled up to the lectern, his face expressionless, but Zia knew different. She read his body language and could tell that he was thinking deeply. Far from being emotionless, he just had a lot on his mind. How many classes did he teach, anyway?

"Last week," he began, "we talked about the theory of parallel universes. That will be our first topic under the theme of space. In the following weeks we will be observing natural phenomena that can transpire in space and unnatural occurrences. Now I have another course outline to hand out."

**_Course Outline: PHYS 205_**

**_Week 1_**_ – Parallel Universes_

**_Week 2_**_ – Subspace_

**_Week 3_**_ – Subspace Signals_

**_Week 4_**_ – Warp Speed_

**_Week 5_**_ – Deep Space_

**_Week 6_**_ – Black Holes_

**_Week 7_**_ – Planets_

**_Week 8_**_ – Meteor Showers_

**_Week 9_**_ – Supernovas and Blue Giants_

**_Week 10_**_ – Assessment on previous nine topics_

She was pleased with the topics and returned her attention to Spock.

"Subspace is a feature of space-time that facilitates faster-than-light transit," he was saying, "in the form of interstellar travel or the transmission of information. It obeys different laws of physics. Subspace communications are a means to establish nearly instantaneous contact with people and places that are light-years away. It is what makes Warp possible, and since subspace signals do not degrade with the square of the distance as do other methods of communication utilizing conventional bands of the electromagnetic spectrum, signals sent from a great distance can be expected to reach their destination at a predictable time and with little relative degradation. Would Miss Lenika please read your textbook introduction on the topic?"

The cadet flipped to the appropriate page and began to read. "Subspace is a mysterious and complex region which offers both great benefits and great perils to those who utilize it. The major benefits are obvious – interstellar civilisations such as the Federation would be all but impossible without the faster than light travel offered by warp drives which utilize subspace. On the other hand, subspace phenomena can be diverse, unpredictable and almost unbelievably destructive. The following is a brief list of some of the major subspace phenomena encountered by the Federation since its formation: Subspace Compression, Subspace Field Distortions, Subspace Funnel, Subspace Instabilities, Subspace Interphase Pocket, Subspace Rift, Subspace Rupture, Subspace Sandbars, Subspace Shockwave, Subspace Tear, Subspace Rebound, Subspace Vacuole, Subspace Sinkhole, Subspace Node, Astral Eddy and Subspace Void."

Spock began to teach them about the first five on the list and Zia copied down everything that he said.

**_Subspace Compression_**

_A phenomenon caused when an object is partially encased in a subspace field, thus altering the gravitational constant of the encased portion and giving the different parts different inertial densities. Subspace compression causes stress to be placed on the object, and in extreme cases can cause it to be destroyed on an atomic level. In addition to this danger there is considerable risk of damage to the platform projecting the subspace field, although a modern Starship is capable of withstanding a considerable degree of subspace compression._

**_Subspace Field Distortions_**

_It is a phenomenon which indicates the presence of a functioning system for warp drive._

**_Subspace Funnel_**

_A subspace link between two points in normal space through which, theoretically, matter and energy can pass. Subspace funnels thus bear some superficial similarity to wormholes._

**_Subspace Instabilities_**

_It is an area in which the fabric of space is weakened, making it especially vulnerable to the damaging effect of certain types of warp drive. The effect is cumulative, and excessive use of warp drive spacecraft in regions containing subspace instabilities can result in the formation of a subspace rift._

**_Subspace Rift_**

_It is an opening in the fabric of normal space through which subspace protrudes. High level exposure of space containing subspace instabilities to warp fields can result in a subspace rift, causing vessels to become trapped. The rifts are extremely sensitive to any use of subspace technology, most especially to warp drive – any use of a warp drive system within a rift causes it to expand greatly._

**_Subspace Sandbars_**

_It is a phenomenon which prevents the use of warp drive, effectively tying a spacecraft in place. Essentially: a region with a Cochrane factor of zero._

**_Subspace Tear_**

_A subspace tear can be created by an isolytic subspace weapon. It allows a portion of subspace to intrude upon normal space, presenting a threat to Starships in the vicinity. The tear can be attracted to a Starships warp core, which drags it across space like a zipper. Detonating such a warp core within the tear can cause it to close up again, although this is not guaranteed._

An hour had almost passed.

"We are out of time to continue the rest of the phenomena," Spock said, "so I will give you homework: complete a description of Subspace Rebound, Subspace Sinkhole, Subspace Node, and Subspace Void, to be due tomorrow."

Just after Spock assigned their homework the bell sounded and Zia went straight to her room to change into her swimsuit. She decided to hole up in her room for the rest of her _Independent Study _and sat cross-legged on her bed, continuing her periodic table. _Hafnium, Tantalum, Tungsten, Rhenium, Osmium, Iridium, Platinum, Mercury… _On and on she went, drawing each atom and keeping her attention from straying as she worked. When the bell went for the last class of the day she was sorely tempted to stay and finish, as she only had thirty atoms left, but she left everything strewn on her bed and made her way down to the Athletic Compound.

Tara was already exercising, as was the rest of the class. Zia simply jumped in the pool and began laps, losing herself in the wonder of the water. Maybe later on in the term she should get water samples to practice for her oceanography exam. As far as she knew, the exam was made up of the class doing a written test – identifying and evaluating oceanic characteristics – and a practical. They were given water samples and set the task of evaluating them. Professor Spalding had let them know exactly what was required of them, in order that they might better prepare.

As for physics, she had only a vague idea. _Introduction to Physics _was probably a fully-written exam, where they had to answer questions and write explanations for all nine topics. _General Physics _would probably be written too – answering questions about space – but have a practical. Since one topic was recognising subspace signals, she suspected that they would be given a computer station with a simulation and they had to identify the signal and respond appropriately.

With anthropology, obviously there was a written exam where they had to answer questions about the Ferengi. There might be a practical aspect too, but she didn't know what. Professor Spalding had been the only one who'd let them know the requirements of the exam.

Something hit her back again and this time Zia wasn't confused. She surfaced and nodded at Tara, understanding the message. After a brief shower, Zia went back to the room. Tara would be back after dinner to get her things, and then she would be off to wherever. Zia wanted to talk to Tara, and had finally plucked up the courage to tell her about her future sessions with Spock.

Staring at her almost-complete physics homework, Zia took a deep breath and forged on. Tara came into the room just as she finished and saw Zia shouting with joy and throwing up her arms.

"What's going on?" Tara grinned.

"I finally finished my physics," Zia said in relief. "I've been working on it for _hours_!"

"That sucks. Well look, I've gotta go to the computer rooms to do some stuff, but I'll be back before midnight."

Just as Tara turned to leave, Zia stood. "I'm going to see Spock in one-and-a-half hours."

Tara stilled. "So he's teaching you the Vulcan way?"

"Yes. And I just want to say… thank you. Thank you for caring and getting help. It means more than words can express. Who knows, maybe I can learn to mind-meld and show you!"

"Somehow I can't imagine you learning to mind-meld," Tara laughed, facing her. "And, uh, thanks for not being mad. I was worried that you might view it as a breach of your privacy."

"It is a breach, but if you hadn't done something I would get a lot worse and eventually start sleepwalking. I'm more grateful than mad, and since I have a trust issue that's a good thing."

The roommates smiled at each other and moved forward into a hug. They squeezed each other affectionately and Tara left. Zia made a mental note to ask about her roommate's family and past life. It was only fair, as Tara knew everything about her.

Sighing, Zia sat back down on her bed and packed away her _Introduction to Physics _things, taking out her anthropology notebook and a library book she'd borrowed out. She began to write out each letter of the Ferengi alphabet next to its human counterpart, creating a table. There were sixty symbols in total, some standing for sounds like 'Sh' and 'Ch', and she filled those in too. Then she drew a hexagon in the centre of the page and wrote Ferengi text radiating from the centre outward, one sentence on each edge of the hexagon.

**_Goss uff wok ton _**_– Let us out of here._

**_VO yop toe pah _**_– Can I have that?_

**_Neep-gren _**_– Thank you._

**_Gar-dey latinum sou-tah_**_ – This is worth its weight in latinum._

**_Vanay'eday_**_ – Take us in._

**_Gren fa hoe loth pex-pil? _**_– Haven't you got that translator fixed yet?_

That was possibly her easiest piece of homework that day. She put away her anthropology books and checked the time. Thirty more minutes, and she was too nervous to eat. Might as well start her oceanography homework!

**_Pure Microbiology_**

**_Taxonomic Arrangement_**

_Bacteriology: he study of bacteria._

_Mycology: The study of fungi._

_Phycology: The study of algae._

_Parasitology: The study of parasites._

_Immunology: The study of the immune system._

_Virology: The study of viruses._

_Microbiology: The study of microbes._

There were other branches listed under Integrative Arrangement, such as microbial cytology, microbial physiology, microbial ecology, cellular microbiology and more. She hadn't known that some of these branches even existed! It would be a relief when she could get her PADD and look this stuff up on the Intergalactic Web.

**_Other_**

_Nano microbiology The study of those microorganisms on nano level._

_Exo microbiology: The study of microorganisms in outer space_

_Biological agent: The study of those microorganisms which are being used in weapon industries._

It was now almost six o'clock. She would finish it later. Zia left her things as they were and went to the professor's dorms, wandering the corridors until she found Spock's room. She knocked on the door and stepped back, her pulse racing as she waited for Spock to answer.


	7. In and Out

Yes, it's Monday! This means another chapter! Just a couple notes before you begin reading. Yes, bertakk soup is really a Vulcan dish. Yes, the statistics about professors and classes are accurate (I spent almost an hour figuring it all out). Yes, there is a pastry box named 'Borg' (there's one in my fridge and that's where the inspiration for that line came from).

My thanks to wikipedia and memory-beta for providing me with the information to complete this chapter. I would also like to thank **MoreColourfulMoniker**, who has been very helpful with her constructive criticism and was very polite and courteous while doing so. Honestly, this chapter would be longer if she hadn't pointed out a few things in previous chapters. So thank you! I really appreciate it.

And now... the chapter begins! Read and review!

o.O.o

**Chapter 7 – In and Out**

For several moments nothing happened, and then Spock opened the door.

"Cadet Abbott," he said formally. "Come in."

She stepped into his dorm and stared around with wide eyes. He had his own kitchen?! By the look of it, it was fully-stocked, and there was a pot simmering on the stove. His living space was sparsely furnished but it was neat and doors led to a bathroom and bedroom. There was a shelf filled with books, a large desk with a computer, a filing cabinet with six drawers and a large pile of papers. Sitting at one of the dining chairs, closing a book, was another cadet.

"Hello," Zia said shyly. The cadet smiled and stood, her long black hair swinging behind her.

"Cadet Abbott, this is Cadet Uhura," Spock said as the women shook hands. "Cadet Uhura is one of the best cadets in my third-year xynolinguistics class, and Miss Abbott is one of my first-year physics cadets."

"Pleased to meet you," Uhura said, smiling.

"What were you…?" Zia asked in confusion.

"Oh." Uhura rolled her eyes. "We're studying the three Romulan dialects this term but I already know them, so Professor Spock was giving me a head start on Xindi, as we're learning their language next term. He gave me a couple books that would help."

"Okay," Zia nodded.

"What about you?"

"Tutoring," Zia muttered, "I'd rather not talk about it, if that's okay."

"Cadet," Spock said to Uhura, "it would be preferable that you do not mention this to anyone. Miss Abbott needs assistance with some personal things and I am teaching her."

"Of course, Professor," Uhura nodded. She turned to Zia. "It was really nice meeting you. We should hang out sometime."

"Um, okay?"

Still smiling, Uhura walked to the door and left, holding the books under her arm. Zia turned to Spock.

"Will she tell?" she asked.

"Miss Uhura has been my best cadet for three years," he said noncommittally. "I know her well enough to know that she will not tell people of what transpired. Now, I was just finishing the preparation of a meal when she came to borrow the books. Have you eaten?"

"Not yet."

"Then I will serve you bertakk soup: a dish native to Vulcan."

Spock turned off his stove and spooned two servings of bertakk soup into bowls. He handed one to Zia and they sat at his table eating it.

"What's it like being a professor?" she asked.

"It is surprisingly simple. There are forty professors and each of us teaches six classes in total – all six of them per day. As there are sixty courses and eight hundred cadets – two hundred per year – there are at least twenty cadets per class, for every course in every year. Forty classes are always being taught at any one time, ten for each year." Spock fell silent and Zia processed the information. "Do you have any homework remaining?"

"Only oceanography and physics," she said. "That periodic table/atom homework you set us took hours!"

"That was the aim," he said. Was that a hint of smugness? "It was to get you used to the length of assessments. There will be several time-consuming homework pieces throughout the term."

She hesitated. "So… you're going to teach me to be a Vulcan?"

"Yes. However you are tense, and quite nervous, so you must relax before we begin."

"You're aiming to get me comfortable around here?"

"Yes."

"That's… thoughtful. Look, thank you for doing this. I couldn't bear sleeping last night with the worry that I might have more nightmares."

"You are welcome."

She savoured each bite and discovered with fascination that she was relaxing. It was strange that she would relax in her professor's dining room while eating with him and she was surrounded by his smell. But it had happened anyway and she enjoyed the sensation of peacefulness. There was almost something unnatural about it…

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Eating dinner," he replied.

"No, I mean to me."

His face didn't change, but she could sense the ghost of amusement. "Our minds are still connected with the mind-meld, however slight, and I have the power to project emotions over to you. For example, I am projecting peacefulness to calm you right now."

"Can I do that too?"

"Only with intense training, and even then you may never be telepathic. When I feel a particularly strong emotion you will be affected by it, until I break the mind-meld."

"Will you?"

"Not yet. I will wait until you have sufficient knowledge and training before doing so. The mind-meld also allows me to know when you feel strong emotions, and allow me to recognise them."

"That makes sense; we've got a bit of two-way going on there."

"I trust the food is to your standards," he said politely.

"It is," she replied, taking pains to eat neatly. They didn't speak as they ate the rest of their soup. Now that she knew of it, Zia was aware of the peaceful feeling filling her. When she finished, Spock whisked her plate away and went to the kitchen to clean, refusing her help.

She wandered into his living area and browsed his bookshelf. There was a box on one shelf and she picked it up, blinking as she read the inscription.

"Spock!"

"Yes?"

"Why do you have a pastry box labelled 'Borg'?"

"The Borg race is enemies of the Federation, and I found that box at an antique shop. It was quite humorous to have a pastry box named after them."

"Oh. I have no idea what a Borg is."

"You may study their culture in a later year at the Academy." He came into his living area and put two cushions on the floor. "Take a seat." They both sat cross-legged on one each and he indicated for her to close her eyes. "The first step is meditation. We must clear your mind of everything, leaving nothing but clarity. You need to concentrate and empty your mind, so you can loosen your emotions and embrace logic."

She took a deep breath and focussed on emptying her mind, but thoughts kept on swirling inside it. Irritation seeped in and Spock projected calm, quelling it instantly. He didn't even speak. Pondering for a second, Zia decided to focus on breathing. In… out… in… out… in… out…

In… out… in… out… in… out…

In… out… in… out… in… out…

In… out… in… out… in… out…

And nothing…

o.O.o

Spock sensed when she achieved clarity. He was floating in bliss, tuned into her emotions, and he sensed the turmoil and confusion. Then they slowly siphoned away and her thoughts sounded in his head, clear as anything.

In… out… in… out… in… out…

In… out… in… out… in… out…

In… out… in… out… in… out…

Then she reached clarity. She felt nothing, except complete understanding. There was no anger; no pain… just total lucidity. He heard her breathing slow and her heartbeat being reduced to a few beats per minute. Her body began to slow, responding to her relaxed state. His mind, filled with blackness, suddenly burst with light.

This was her mind. He saw a Starship bridge, pure white with consoles everywhere, and filled with people. Most of them were faceless but he saw the faces of her two cadet friends, her parents, and him. Smiles lit up every face, and he understood.

He was seeing her deepest desire – to escape the trappings of a planet life and celebrate her freedom with her friends. A wave of weakness hit him as he was overwhelmed by emotion. What was he thinking by teaching her? Being subjected to her vulnerability would undoubtedly lead him to face his own emotions. He had put off that battle since he was eleven years old, but now it loomed frighteningly close.

_Soon, Spock… soon I will be faced by my own weakness._

o.O.o

The bliss ended slowly, like waking from a deep sleep. First, she began to become aware of her body. Second, her mind began to wake. Third, she opened her eyes.

For a second, she was drowsy. After blinking a few times, her head cleared and she saw Spock sitting at his computer doing professor stuff. He swivelled his head and met her eyes. Something fluttered in her stomach, the same thing as yesterday, and she pushed it down.

"You did very well for your first attempt," he said, standing. "For the next twenty-four hours you will feel peaceful and calm, but you need more meditation to make it last. For now, you must do it in my presence so I can project calming thoughts to aid you, as you are not ready to try on your own."

"Okay," she groaned, standing up. "What's the time?"

"It is almost midnight."

"What! How long was I meditating?"

"Almost five hours. I was about to rouse you."

She jumped up and down to force blood circulation. "I should get back to my room. I didn't expect for it to take so long."

"Of course," he nodded. "Sleep well, Ms Abbott."

Smiling, she left his room and walked wearily to her dorm. She felt ready to sleep, which was weird, but she couldn't sleep yet. There was still oceanography to do, as well as physics. Tara was in bed when she arrived back in the room, fast asleep. Zia tip-toed to her bed and switched on her bedside lamp, continuing her oceanography by the lamplight.

She wrote out of habit without really thinking about it. Her brain would automatically register everything, leaving her free to think about more important things, like the effects that meditation had on her. A sudden thought struck her and she searched her consciousness, attempting to find the connection with Spock. Where... hm... there it was! And surprisingly strong. He'd said it was slight, but it wasn't. While awkward and slightly embarrassing, the connection with this professor wasn't entirely unwelcome. The effect it had on her calm was astounding.

It was almost one in the morning. Tiredness was catching up to Zia, but she had one more piece of homework to do, and it couldn't take more than an hour. Again, she completed her _General Physics _without thinking about it; her attention back on the mind-meld connection.

_**...**__which dragged ships inside drained energy from their power systems, resulting in at least a tenfold increase in fuel usage._

Finished! Zia packed all her books away, turned off her lamp, pushed all thoughts from her mind, and fell asleep straight away.


	8. Routine and Revision

Okay, this chapter is later than usual, but I got home late and this was my first chance to post. Thumbs up to everyone who has read this story, and a huge hug to those who followed, favourited and reviewed! As always, constructive criticism is welcome.

My thanks to wikipedia and memory-beta for providing me with the information necessary to complete this chapter.

o.O.o

**Chapter 8 – Routine and Revision**

As the weeks passed, Zia settled into a routine. In the mornings she would have breakfast with Tara and some of the other women, and then she would attend classes. She would skip lunch to do work and then go to classes again. Then, at night, she continued her homework and three nights' a week she went to Spock's room for their lessons: Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Every other night she was doing classwork and when Tara went out partying she stayed at the Academy.

Zia also learnt more about her roommate. Tara had been born in New Jersey and had grown up in the city of Sussex. She had three kid-siblings, all of which were in their primary schooling and her parents worked for Starfleet as medical staff in the Sussex hospital. For her whole life, Tara had loved mathematics and computers and dreamed of wearing a yellow shirt. Yellow looked good on her compared with the bland maroon of the cadet uniforms. Her parents were called Tim and Yancy, and they had been reluctant to let their eldest child to go to Starfleet and pursue a career in space. They had both attended the Academy and that was where they fell in love, eventually resulting in their wedding and four children. Tara had had a happy childhood, filled with play-dates, crushes and cheerful days. Growing up, she'd had a few boyfriends but they'd never felt right, resulting in their break-up. She'd never had her heart broken, and for that Zia was thankful.

As for Blair, he had grown up around technology on Bolarus IX (the Bolian homeworld), leading to his desire to serve at Starfleet. Unlike Tara, his parents had died when he was young and he had grown up in an orphanage. However he had been happy there, but excited to expand his horizons and go to Earth for Starfleet training. He knew a bit about bullying – as he was the only Bolian at the Academy – but it had mainly been verbal teasing that had eased off during the past few weeks. Blair sympathised with Zia, and it allowed them to grow closer.

The three of them were good friends. They often studied together and Tara and Blair conspired to get Zia away from the Academy on numerous occasions, but were never successful. The Vulcan spent most of her time studying hard to prepare for the exams at the end of term.

She knocked three times on Spock's door and entered. The first thing she noticed was this wonderful aroma that filled the air.

"What's cooking this time?" she asked, sitting down at his table. In the kitchen, Spock opened his oven.

"M'lu for the main meal, and saffir for dessert," he replied, closing the oven again. "A few more minutes remain."

"You've made dinner for me three times a week for the last eight weeks," she mused.

"As I have said before: eating dishes and ingredients native to Vulcan will improve your training further. How are you coping with your study?"

"Well, it's less than a week before the end-of-term exams, and I hope that I'm ready."

"I have no doubt that you will do well," he assured her, pouring the m'lu into two bowls and setting them down at the table. "The assessment schedules will all be out tomorrow. That gives you just over three days to prepare for the first examinations on Monday."

"Then there's the two-week break before classes start again," Zia sighed, chewing on some m'lu. "I'm certainly not going home and there's nothing to do at the Academy. Maybe I should get a job. What will you do for the whole two weeks?"

"I will mark the assessment pieces from my six classes and participate in some cross-marking with the other professors. Then I will be travelling to the ship-yards to oversee the computer programming on the newest ships in production. It is my belief that I am to be labelled First Officer aboard Captain Pike's vessel."

"Are you serious? That's fantastic!"

"It is, is it not?"

Once they finished eating Spock cleared their bowls, but instead of setting down the cushions he pushed the couch to one side of the room, leaving a large space in the centre.

"Are we not meditating?" Zia asked in confusion.

"We will, but I would like to teach you something important for self-protection. For the past eight weeks we have been focussing on meditation and the regulating of emotions, but I believe that you do not know your Vulcan strength."

"Uhh…"

"Due to our dense skeletal frame, a result of living on a world with higher gravity and a thinner atmosphere, the average Vulcan tends to be stronger than a human."

"I know that." As Zia spoke, Spock gave her a strange look. "Oh, I borrowed a book on Vulcans from the library to read up on my race, but I'm not finished just yet."

"Allow me to continue. Since you have grown up on Earth, I am not fully certain if you have the strength, but I believe it is hereditary and that you are quite strong. So I will teach you the basics of Ponn-ifla. It is a form of martial art that is known to the Vulcan species, and the disciplines tenant involved resistance as well as moderation with a master being able to 'transform a fight into a poem, and a poem into meditation'. It is considered a very young discipline by Vulcan standards. This discipline focusses on the use of minimum force and movement by turning an attackers own force back at them rather than initiate combat. One of the moves in it was called Narlik which was a joint lock with the addition of applying agonising pain without giving them any permanent damage."

"Will you teach me a few basic moves?"

Spock nodded and launched into an explanation, demonstrating as he went along. "There is Kroika: a central move of the art which involves deflecting an opponent's fist downwards in order to put him off-balance. Taroon: this aspect of the fighting style was to use the opponent's own attack as a means of getting an opening for a nerve pinch. Ponn-K'sin: this move involves a leg sweep. Narlik: a joint lock and counter pressure move with many different techniques existing. Now, I will teach you each move one at a time."

She lunged forward in a punch, aiming right at Spock's chest, but he flicked his wrist and changed the direction to the ground, sending her stumbling. It took a second for her to regain her footing and she was barely able to block his roundhouse punch with an outside block before gripping his wrist and twisting him around. He went with the twist and changed his grip, prising her hand from his wrist, spinning her arm around and pushing her back, causing her to stumble again. This time she put weight on her back leg to steady herself and she brought her leg around in a wide sweep, grunting as Spock jumped her sweep, grabbed her shoulders and threw her. She landed on the floor on her side with her arms pinned and her legs useless. He pressed a knee to her side, pushing her further in the ground. Now she was useless. There was nothing she could do from this position.

Wait... she rolled suddenly, jerking her arm from his grip and freeing herself. They both straightened and continued their poem.

For the next hour they stood in his room, swinging punches, sweeping, and achieving an effect with as little force possible. Zia was pleased that Vulcans couldn't sweat – since they lived on a desert planet sweating would be illogical – but was more than happy to sit down in meditation.

"I've been getting better," she told him. "My last sleepwalking episode was five weeks ago and I haven't screamed in three, although I still mumble and whimper in my sleep. I'm just glad that Tara is so tolerant of me."

"I am glad to hear that," he nodded, with a faint trace of a smile. "You are making remarkable progress. I believe that you will soon be completely recovered and able to sleep without worrying, but you will have to work hard for that to happen."

"Oh I can't wait," she grinned. "How about we do some Keethara?"

They crossed their legs and sunk into deep meditation over the course of another hour. Zia focussed on her task of Keethara, which was a Vulcan meditation technique that translated as 'the structure of harmony'. It involved the development of a small structure formed through the use of smaller building blocks. To build it required precise balance and spatial acuity. The purpose of the exercise was to help focus the thoughts of the Vulcan practicing the technique and to refine their mental control. She had been working on this mental control since her last sleep-walking episode. Tara had locked the door and slept through the entire thing, but had been surprised to find that upon waking her roommate had taken all the clothes from the wardrobe and lain on the pile.

Tonight she was building a communicator. She found it more difficult to focus on building smaller, more complicated objects rather than buildings and whatnot. Each block formed part of the device and she imagined the speakers and coloured buttons being formed with each new development. Slowly, the communicator took shape and before she knew it, it was completed.

"Excellent work cadet," Spock said, his voice penetrating her consciousness. Blinking, Zia came out of her mediative state and saw him at his computer, finalising his third-year physics papers.

"Thanks. What classes do you teach?" Zia stood and put the cushions back on his couch, settling down for a few more minutes.

"I teach two first-year physics classes, third-year xynolinguistics and physics and fourth-year _Warp Engineering _and _Collaborative Computing_," he replied. "Next year you will have to pick another course, as this year is the only year in which you do two physics classes."

"That should be fun," she said sarcastically. "Well, I best get going and finish my revision papers. Tara's doing hers right now and we best finish before the exam schedules are handed out. That way we won't be stuck writing papers when we should be revising."

"Do not let me impede on your progress," he said gallantly. He closed his paper and moved across the room, opening the door for her. Smiling slightly, Zia stood and left, waving as she strolled up the corridor.

Back at their room, Tara was talking with her parents on her communicator. "I know. I've written down all the algorithms I'll need and Zia will help me memorise them. Yes, all my equations have been written down too. There are just a few more programming sequences… yeah. Are you serious? I didn't know Sadie wanted to be a Starship Captain. Well, she'll have to come to the Academy won't she? Hi Sadie! How's my favourite second-oldest sister? That's great! I bet your instructor was very impressed."

As Tara continued to talk to her family, Zia sat on her bed – books strewn everywhere – and got to work finishing her oceanography papers. Her physics papers were finished, and she'd done her anthropology at the start of the term, so oceanography was all she had left to do. Once Tara got off her communicator, they worked in silence for the better part of an hour before they both finished at the same time.

"You want to go first?" Tara asked, holding out her hand.

"Sure," Zia replied. She handed Tara her _Introduction to Physics _paper and sat back.

"What is classical physics?"

Zia folded her hands on her lap and began to regurgitate everything she knew of classical physics. The same happened with atoms, mechanics, heat, light and other radiation, sound, electricity, magnetism and matter and energy. It took almost an hour to finish the paper and by then Zia just felt physically and mentally drained. Meditation had made her tired and they weren't going to stay up much longer revising. They did have to sleep.

"Wow," Tara gaped.

"Am I done?"

"Yes; that's all you needed to learn for that class, based on what you've written here."

Zia lay back on her bed, running her hands through her hair. Tara handed back her physics paper and they started her _Analysis of Algorithms _and _Finite Mathematics _revision.

"What is the analysis of algorithms?"

Now it was Tara's turn to regurgitate everything she knew of the analysis of algorithms and the cost models for analysing algorithms. "While the logarithmic cost model assigns a cost to every machine operation proportional to the number of bits involved," she finished.

"That's insane," Zia remarked, pursing her lips. She hadn't understood much of what her roommate had said. Her respect for the human grew even further at how knowledgeable she was a math and algorithms.

"And that's only for my algorithms class," Tara agreed. "Come on and shoot my math questions."

"What is mathematical model building?"

Matrix algebra... linear programming... combinatorics... probability... statistics... logic... that was stuff Zia knew. She found Tara's response to the topic of logic a bit unsatisfactory, but kept her opinion to herself. Since she'd learnt it all in high school, it was simple to understand and correct Tara's notes to contain the correct information.

"That's a lot of stuff you have to remember," Zia said once Tara had finished.

"It is," her roommate agreed, "but you've got a lot more to learn. Look, it's almost midnight. I better get to bed so I can be awake at eight. You can continue revising if you want."

"I think I'll do that. And I might call my parents too. I haven't spoken to them for over a week."

"Give them my best," Tara yawned. She brushed all her books from her bed, slipped under the covers and curled up. Smiling, Zia reached for her communicator and stood by the window, waiting for her parents to pick up. The weather had improved in recent weeks and it no longer snowed, but the rain was awful. During their sixth week it rained non-stop for days and everyone was tired of having to carry umbrellas or hide their books under their jackets. The rain season was finishing in a week or so and after that the weather would become sunny as summer approached.

_"How are you, honey?" _her mother asked, answering after the second ring.

"I'm good mum. Is dad there?"

_"Yes, he is. Patty, its Zia!"_

Her dad said something indecipherable in the background. "Yeah, I love you too dad!"

_"Why are you speaking so quietly?"_

"My roommate is trying to get to sleep. We've been writing study papers for our classes and finished them. Next week is the big week with all the exams, then after that it's the two-week spring break."

_"Good luck with your exams! We have our fingers crossed here for you. Will you be coming home for spring break? You weren't sure when I asked last time."_

"Oh, I'm staying at the Academy. I hope it's not a bother to you. Tara is going home to her family and I have, uh, things to do."

_"What sort of things?"_

"I'd rather not talk about it."

_"The nightmares have returned, haven't they?"_

Zia hesitated. "I didn't want to worry you."

_"Honey, of course I worry! Do you need us to do anything? We can be up there in three hours!"_

"No, mum, it's perfectly fine. Remember the professor I told you about whose half-Vulcan half-human? He's been teaching be the Vulcan way for several weeks so I can learn to bury my emotions and prevent the nightmares. I've only had one sleepwalking episode and I stopped screaming three weeks ago. His lessons are really working. "

_"What do you do?"_

"He makes me Vulcan food, so I understand the culture better, and teaches me martial arts and meditation techniques. I'm quite enjoying the experience."

_"Why didn't you tell me?"_

"I knew you'd freak out, so I decided to wait until I was getting better before telling you. That way you can have some peace of mind."

_"So you're staying at the Academy for spring break. What about summer break?"_

"I'll be coming home for that. But during spring break I'll probably get a job to earn some money."

She could see Giana's soft smile in mind's eye. _"I'm so proud of you honey. You took matters into your own hands, which is the first step to recovery. Now that I know, you need to keep me updated. I love my little girl and I don't want to see her hurting again."_

"I love you too mum. Uh, Tara's glaring at me so I should probably get to bed."

_"Okay sweetie. Mum and dad love you!"_

"Goodnight."

Zia closed her communicator and shrugged at her roommate. Groaning, Tara rolled over and punched her pillow a few times to make it comfier. Zia quickly cleared off her bed and organised herself for classes tomorrow. Once her satchel was packed she took off her shoes, curled up into bed, and promptly fell asleep.


	9. A Three-Week Record

Okay, so just a quick note before you read this chapter. Zia is new to the world or romance, and so she's a bit naive and unsure about her feelings. Hopefully you can pick that up, but I think it's best for you to know that before continuing. I wanted to give Spock and Zia a more stable friendship before they launched into any type of relationship, but rest assured, there's some very romantic moments coming soon!

My thanks to wikipedia and memory-beta for providing me with the information necessary to complete this chapter. Also, a shout out to **MoreColourfulMoniker** whose excellent feedback has now landed her the position of beta. You rock!

And now... what you've all been waiting for... the chapter!

o.O.o

**Chapter 9 – A Three-Week Record**

"You whimpered in your sleep again," Tara said.

Zia swallowed her spaghetti on toast and muttered incoherently. They sat indoors while eating breakfast; away from the light sprinkle that fell on the cadets unlucky enough to sit close to the window. A group of Tara's friends sat at the table too, talking about the party that was happening on the last day of exams. They were too immersed in their conversation to pay attention to Tara and the Vulcan.

"How long?" she asked.

"Two minutes," Tara replied. "That's a new record for you."

"It is. Looking forward to exam timetables today?"

"No! I really don't want to do exams. They squish nine weeks of hard work into two hours. Do you think they'll have something for our athletics class?"

"I doubt it. It's not the type of class for an assessment. With any luck I'll only have four exams."

"You're lucky. I'll have five at the least. Besides, my subjects are a _lot _harder than yours. I have to remember differential equations and provide solutions to problems that I don't even know how they were caused in the first place."

"Yet you still love it."

"Yes. I still love it."

"Hey Tara," one of the cadets said, leaning over, "you coming to the party next Friday?" Zia searched for a name and remembered that it was Lenika.

"Yes, I am," Tara grinned. "My roommate is coming too."

"Wait, what-"

"You can't use the excuse that you're studying any longer. Exams finish on Friday, so you have no more study. Ergo, you come to the party with us. Where is it?"

"It's at Ripley's bar in upper San Francisco," Lenika explained.

"What's the dress code?" Tara asked.

"Dress to impress! I've got that new dress from _Diamonds and Evening Dress_…"

Zia quickly finished her toast and bolted to the room, brushing her teeth before heading off to class. She didn't want to sit and listen to chatter on fashion and cosmetics, as she was satisfied with putting on whatever worked and leaving it at that. As she waited outside her classroom, Cadet Uhura passed by. Since their meeting seven weeks ago, Uhura had taken to greeting Zia when they passed in corridors, which was a rare occurrence. First-years were only allowed a certain amount of familiarity with higher years. They might party together and hang out outside the Academy, but during class-hours there was a considerable rift between the years.

"Hey!" Uhura said, coming over. "What class do you have?"

"Physics," Zia replied. "Let me guess, xenolinguistics?"

"Yep, and I have linguistics class afterwards. We get our exam timetables today. Are you nervous?"

"A bit," Zia shrugged. "I've been studying real hard though, so I hope to get excellent results."

Uhura glanced around the corridor and leant in close. "Your exam results only count for seventy-five percent of your grades," she whispered. "The other twenty-five percent is your behaviour in class and attitude to learning."

"Oh, wow," she blinked. "Uh, thank you? I suppose you weren't meant to tell me that…"

"No, I wasn't, but Professor Spock let it slip during my first year here and I think it's time to pass the knowledge to someone else. I think you've proven yourself to be trustworthy."

"Uh, thank you."

"How are your lessons with him going? I know it's none of my business, but I'd just like to know if you're okay."

Zia smiled warmly. "Cadet, I'm okay. Thank you for asking though."

The bell sounded and a fleeting look of panic crossed Uhura's face. "I gotta get to class. You have a good day."

"You have a good day too; and good luck with your timetable!"

Uhura raced off and Zia glided into her classroom, feeling slightly better. There really were nice people at the Academy. Maybe she should get out there and become familiar with some of them. Suddenly, the party at the end of exams didn't seem like such a bad idea.

o.O.o

After _General Physics_, Zia stayed back to talk to Spock. She liked talking to him more than anyone else. There was something… nice about it. She wouldn't say it was like talking to a father figure, but talking to a friend who truly understood her.

"Your focus today was exemplary," he said, a note of pride entering his voice.

"Well, I haven't had a nightmare in ages, so there's a lot less weight on my shoulders," she said happily. They passed a group of cadets heading the other way and nodded at them. "Where's your next class?"

"Down that corridor you can see up there," he pointed. His PADD slipped as he moved and only his nimble reflexes allowed him to grab it before it hit the ground. The panicked look on his face earned a bout of laughter from her, which warmed his face.

"The look on your face was perfect," she sighed, the smile still there. "I should have had my tricorder out."

"You will do no such thing," he said in mock-horror, earning another laugh. How she wished he would smile. Maybe he would sense her yearning, but their psychic bond wasn't strong enough for her to transmit emotions at will. He was right. She would probably never be a telepath.

They reached his classroom and he faced her, his eyes locking onto hers. She blinked and smiled shyly as she glanced away, her cheeks green. It was awkward for a second, until Spock marched into his classroom, shaking his head to clear it. Zia stared after him calculatingly, wondering what that feeling in her stomach was – the one that churned when she saw those expressive chocolate eyes.

o.O.o

Her exam timetable was actually quite good. She understood that there was some kind of order to them, but couldn't figure out what.

**_Assessment Timetable: Abbott, Zia_**

PHYS 101 – Monday, 0900 Block-A, Rm 2

PHYS 205 – Monday, 1300 Block-B, Rm 3

ANTH 497 – Tuesday, 1500 Block-A, Rm 1

PSCI 325 – Thursday, 1100 Block-B, Rm 9

If a cadet does not attend an assessment they are viable for suspension unless medical evidence is produced.

She'd since learned of the true nature of her assessments. Her _Introduction to Physics _and _Advanced Topics in Anthropology _exams were both written, therefore being held in Block-A. In contrast, her _General Physics _and _Biological Oceanography _exams had practical elements, with one taking place in a biology lab and the other in a computer lab. Thankfully she had Wednesday off to study for oceanography.

After showering from her swim, Zia returned to her room to continue her revision. Tara was in the library looking at books about computer programming and discussing dress plans for the party on Friday with some of the other cadets.

Opening her oceanography papers, Zia paced across the room as she read.

**_Oceans throughout the Universe_**

_These oceans differ from planet to planet. Given their diverse habitat and climate, oceans on some planets are unable to sustain life, while others flourish. Planets such as Aldea, Bilaren and Palamar have biologically unsuitable oceans filled with chemical and radioactive properties that can be dangerous; however other planets like Monea, Orendal V and Denobula are largely habitable and could easily support organic underwater life forms._

And so it continued with her eight other topics. As always, her thoughts began to wander as she reached the end of the paper, thinking about how she wouldn't be able to meditate with Spock for a whole week. She would never admit it, but those meditation sessions were the best parts of her week.

"Hey!"

Zia looked up as Tara entered the room and tossed her satchel on her bed.

"Hey Tara," the Vulcan grinned. "You caught me finishing oceanography."

"Ugh, I hate studying. Don't you? It's so time-consuming, but necessary if you want to get a good score." Tara grabbed her towel and went into the bathroom, turning on the water. Zia rummaged through the books on her bed for her _General Physics _paper. It was the most difficult one to remember out of all of them, but she had the entire weekend to study so that was good.

Eventually Tara came out of the shower and she stayed wrapped in her towel as she studied her papers. Zia was always uncomfortable when her roommate wasn't wearing clothes, but she preferred not to say anything. If Tara was confident enough with her body to parade around with just a towel, who was she to judge?

"So," Tara said casually, "you coming to the party on Friday?"

"Yes."

"Huh. I'm sorry, what?"

"Yes, I'm going to the party on Friday. There are some nice people at the Academy and I haven't given them a chance." Zia smiled at Tara's dumbfounded expression. "You look hilarious right now."

"I bet I do… so you're _actually _going to the party? You're not joking?"

"No, I'm perfectly serious. But first we have to get through exams. I don't see you studying!"

"Oh yeah, right," Tara muttered, turning back to her papers. Still smiling, Zia packed up her things and curled up in bed, closing her eyes and hoping for a peaceful night.

o.O.o

So Zia was actually going to the party? That was unbelievable! Tara and Blair had tried to get her out for weeks! She stared at her sleeping roommate in shock. That was just so completely unexpected, and so unlike Zia.

Study, right! Tara shook her head and flipped her page over.

"Go away."

Her head swivelled as Zia spoke. "What?"

"I mean it. I'll-I'll retaliate. I'm not gonna allow you to push me around anymore. No. No. Go away. I mean it!" She thrashed and her hand flew to her stomach. "Stop it! Leave me alone! No! Stop it!" As she thrashed, her hand gripped her leg and she whimpered in pain. "Why are you doing this?" she sobbed. "Just leave me alone!" She grabbed her shoulder and screamed.

That was enough. Tara leapt from her bed and onto Zia, wrestling her down. The Vulcan thrashed and wailed, but her struggles began to cease. Whatever was happening inside her head was coming to its end. When it stopped completely, Tara curled up beside Zia and stroked her hair, making shushing noises.

"Tara?" Zia woke with a start. "What happened? Why are you in my bed?"

"You screamed," she explained. "You said that you wouldn't let them push you around then started thrashing and screaming."

Zia sighed, her face streaked with tears. "One day in high school I tried to stand up to them, but they beat me and left me there. Thankfully I was able to get home, but the dislocated my shoulder and it hurt getting it back into place." There was a pause. "Spock is awake. He's sending me calming thoughts."

"That whole thing is creepy," Tara sighed. "Look, how about you meditate instead of sleep? That way we both get something important done."

"Okay," Zia nodded. Tara watched as her roommate grabbed her pillow and sat cross-legged on the floor, before sitting on her own bed and continuing her study. She was really worried about Zia. It must have been really bad to screw her up like this. But the break had lasted three weeks – that was a record.


	10. The Truth About Spock

For the whole week I couldn't wait to upload this new chapter. I hope you've been eager to read it! All you people who read my stories rock! It's you who makes a writer feel great!

My thanks to wikipedia and memory-beta for providing me with the information necessary to complete this chapter, and also my awesome beta **MoreColourfulMoniker **for her advice and correcting my mistakes.

o.O.o

**Chapter 10 – The Truth about Spock**

Zia curled up on Spock's couch with some relen tea, like she always did after a bad nightmare. She was glad that they had no homework that evening, just exams on Monday. It was her last session before the holidays began and she really didn't want to spend a week without spending time with Spock. Somehow, his presence worked just as much as meditation and he had a calming effect on her. Perhaps it was a result of their mind-meld.

Spock sat beside her as she sipped her tea. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah," she nodded.

"I would not be wise for your emotions to cloud your focus during assessments next week," he said, "especially since it affected your work ethic during class today."

"On the bright side, it took three weeks before screaming again. Hopefully I'll be fine throughout the holidays."

He took her empty teacup and placed it on his coffee table. "Would you like to begin meditation?" he asked.

"Probably should, yeah." Zia put a cushion on the ground and stretched before sitting on it cross-legged. Spock did the same opposite her and they both descended into deep meditation.

She was happy that he was there. It didn't matter that he didn't hug her like her parents did; she just needed his presence. Besides, he was her professor, and to have him take time out of his schedule to teach her the Vulcan way was decent of him. He didn't have to train her, yet he did anyway. That was enough for her.

Something nudged its way into the void of her emotionless state. It was a small square that grew bigger as she moved closer. When she was right next to it, she saw jumbled memories of a young Vulcan boy being taunted and ridiculed by his peers.

_"He's a traitor, you know. Your father, for marrying her: that human whore."_

The words burst into her mind, with it a surge of hatred and anger so intense that Zia saw red. She saw Spock as a child as he pushed another Vulcan and proceeded to beat him up. There was anger, pain, sadness and loneliness. So he did feel. Was this a result of meditation or the mind-meld?

_"As always, whoever you choose to be, you will have a proud mother."_

His mother was truly beautiful. She was a perfect balance between classic and modern. More emotion surged into Zia: love, sadness, hope and anxiety. Spock really was a tumult of emotion, and no one even noticed. They just saw a Vulcan; another pointy-eared hobgoblin.

_"It is truly remarkable, Spock, that you have achieved much despite your disadvantage."_

What disadvantage?

_"…Your human mother."_

The anger was back, this time with a hint of rebelliousness. While she sensed that his face did not change, the emotions were raw and overpowering. The decision was made. Spock was going to Starfleet Academy and turning his back on the Vulcan way. She would do the same in his position. They had completely insulted both him and his mother. Who were they to judge? Logic might be the ideal way, but emotion was the core of social interaction.

Her mind was jerked from the kaleidoscope of emotion. Opening her eyes she saw Spock sitting on his cushion, staring at her impassively.

"My apologies cadet," he said. "You should not have been subjected to my thoughts. I will see you next week." He stood and retreated to his bedroom, leaving Zia blinking in confusion.

She left his room, thinking over what she'd learnt. It wasn't that Spock didn't feel. He did, but kept it hidden. The mask was something he had perfected over years or torment and he'd had the knowledge and training to create that mask. Now he was teaching her to do the same thing so she wouldn't be a danger to those around her. The whole time she thought he was doing it out of duty as they were both Vulcan, but now she knew the truth. During his emotional tirade in her mind, she discovered that he cared. He had sympathy for her; he cared for her. He wanted her to be happy, which was something he'd never had, and he was willing to expose himself in order to do it.

They truly were kindred spirits.

o.O.o

Zia was nervous. She sat in the huge exam hall with five other classes, all of them waiting for the two hours to begin. Her paper was sitting face down on her desk and her pens, calculator and ruler were lined up neatly to the left. Five professors patrolled the rows, searching for any signs of cheating.

"You may now begin," Captain Pike said.

Immediately there was a rustle of paper as all the cadets began to read their papers and frantically answer them. Zia wrote quickly but purposefully, her Vulcan mind conjuring up the best way to answer each question. As she wrote, she tuned out the world around her and focused on her individual application to the assessment. Classical physics, atoms, mechanics, heat, light and other radiation, sound, electricity, magnetism, properties of matter and energy… it was all there. She knew the answer to every question on that paper. It was just a matter of formulating an appropriate response with her knowledge of the subject.

Before she knew it, two whole hours had passed. She finished the final question and read over all her answers, only having to wait three minutes before Captain Pike called for pens-down. The professors moved up the rows, collecting all the papers, and eventually they were allowed out for their next assessments.

Blair met Zia outside the exam room.

"That was better than I thought it would be," he commented. "There was a fourth-year class in that same room! What exam do you think they were doing?"

"Something other than physics?" she shrugged. "Let's go get some lunch."

They chatted quietly on their way to the Cafeteria, taking into account the other cadets sitting exams. Food was being served during all exam hours for the week, ranging from hot food to cold food. The rain season had finished, and it was now getting warmer during the days. However in mornings and evenings it got quite chilly. Zia got a sandwich and muffin and went with Blair to sit with some of his friends. She'd sat with them a few times before and they were nice, but tended to forget she was there.

"First exam, huh?" a cadet called JJ asked.

"Yeah," Blair nodded, sitting beside him. "It was better than expected."

Bishop, who had attended that same exam, sat with them. "Are you joking? It sucked! I can't believe that we'll have Spock in third-year."

"From what I've been told he's a dab handy at xenolinguistics," JJ cut in.

"Cadet Uhura says he's better than Professor Moriarty," Zia said. Bishop stared at her.

"Who's Cadet Uhura?" he asked.

"She's a third-year," she replied.

"You're on speaking terms with a _third-year_?!" JJ asked in disbelief.

"Uh, yes," she said slowly. "Is that a problem?"

"No," Blair cut in, glaring at his friends. "She is not going to talk to Uhura and get her to set you up with her third-year friends. Don't bug her about it."

Chatter broke throughout the group and Zia finished her food, excusing herself to go to the library. She was initially heading that way, but decided against it. The whole weekend had been devoted to studying – an hour wouldn't make a difference. Instead, she ended up sitting on one of the benches dotted around the Quad with her hood pulled up to cover her ears. Today there was a wind and she didn't like cold ears.

Two cadets strolled past with satchels slung over their shoulders. Zia didn't look up and continued to stare at the ground, thinking about Spock yet _again_. So it was a surprise when she felt someone sit down beside her.

"Hi," he said, "are you okay?"

She looked up and noted that this was the same brunette that sometimes smiled at her when they passed in corridors. Where was his friend? After a quick scan of her surroundings she saw the man walking across the Quad, shaking his head.

"Yes, I'm okay," she replied. "Why do you ask?"

"It's just, you look a bit down. I'm Jim, by the way. Jim Kirk."

"Zia Abbott."

"So, you're Vulcan huh? How is it that I see you smiling?"

"I'd rather not talk about it."

He raised his hands in surrender. "Hey I get it. You don't want to talk about your past; same here. I take it this is your first year here."

"Yes."

"Are you enjoying the Academy?"

"Yes."

"Wow that's weird! I would have said the exact same thing too!"

With a start, Zia realised that Kirk was… flirting with her? No, that was impossible. She never had guys try and flirt with her. "When is your next exam?" she asked, in an attempt to be polite.

"_Military Science_," he replied. "What's yours?"

"_General Physics_," she sighed, brushing her hair behind her ear. Suddenly she really wanted him to leave.

"You coming to the party on Friday?" he asked. For a second she debated lying, but she hated lying.

"Yes. Some friends talked me into going."

"I hope to see you there," he grinned, standing. "See you later, Zia."

"Yup," she nodded. As he walked away she stood and put as much distance between her and him as possible. Men who flirted were bad news. Besides, she didn't even find him attractive. She made a mental note to ask around about Kirk and see what he was like. He probably flirted with all the girls and slept with as many as possible. It was easy to tell who those people were just by talking to them. Usually they were the ones who bullied her, so she didn't like that type at all.

She went to Block-B and moved cautiously through the corridors. Throughout the whole term she'd only been there a handful of times for physics and oceanography and she wasn't quite sure where to go. Hopefully she wouldn't get lost and would find her classroom easy. Only thing was that she was forty minutes early, so had plenty of time to kill.

Instead of revising, which she should be doing, she took out a book from her satchel that was filled with information about Vulcans. She'd reached an interesting chapter the previous week, but hadn't gotten around to reading it because of the pressures of upcoming exams.

_The female Vulcan can be impregnated after her menstrual cycle begins, which is typically at the age of 16, and can be as late as 25. The male Vulcan is incapable of creating progeny until after the onset of their first pon farr, during which a hormone known as yamareen is released into the bloodstream. Thereafter, the Vulcan male is capable of reproducing at any time, but they must obey the physical urge to mate every seven years. This, in comparison with the reproductive ability of other species with which they can mate, gives credence to the theory that Humans, Vulcans, and Klingons are from a common ancestor seeded by the Preservers. Most Vulcan males experience pon farr for the first time at the age of twenty, and in seven-year cycles following that, but amongst hybrids, their biological differences mean that it can come at more uncertain times. Vulcans are capable of producing offspring with humans, but only through the use of medical intervention. A human female needs to receive large doses of hormones and Vulcan vitamins before conception in order to prepare her body for the foetus, which takes 10 months to mature._

Blinking, Zia put the book away and masked her shock. Spock was twenty-eight, so he'd probably experienced this pon farr before, whereas she was almost twenty and still hadn't begun her menstrual cycle. The thought of impregnation frightened her. As a result of her past bullying, Zia was afraid of physical intimacy. She was afraid of being touched by someone who she didn't know entirely, or being touched at all. Just the thought of having someone touch the most intimate parts of her was repulsive. It was something her parents accepted and they respected her aversion to physical intimacy, so she never thought anything about it. She had more to think about than a romantic partner.

People began to trickle into the corridor for exams and she stuffed the book back into her satchel. Time ticked by, and the door to the exam room opened. Zia dropped her satchel outside and filed in with the rest of her class and they took their seats in separated booths, completely cut off from other cadets. There was a retractable screen that slid up from the desk which was currently deactivated, and a set of headphones. Obviously this assessment was part practical.

Spock walked down the rows and placed papers at each booth, face-down. Zia glanced at the clock. The exam started in ten minutes. Once Spock had handed out all the papers (which were decidedly thinner than the other physics exam) he returned to the front.

"This exam is split into two sections," he said, his voice carrying over the silent cadets. "The first part is a written component, which will take place for exactly an hour. Once that hour is complete, the retractable screen in your booths will activate and you will complete a subspace signal assessment."

_Since I've spent quite a bit of time in the computer labs I know what I'm looking for, _Zia thought with a smirk. Some people hadn't even completed any hours at research stations and that would set them back a few paces. Blair was so lucky that she dragged him down there every so often!

"There will be no cheating of any kind," Spock was saying. "Cheating will result in expulsion. You may begin."

Their time on the wall began to count down and Zia opened her paper. Now this paper was a lot harder than her previous one. She pushed down the hopelessness and forged on, writing answer after answer to questions on the nine topics they'd studied this term. Had it really been almost ten weeks? She shoved aside the random thought and focused on her paper. Levels of parallel universes… check.

The minutes ticked by and not a word was said. Spock moved around the room at irregular intervals to watch the cadets furiously writing on their papers, only pausing at Zia's booth. She could sense him there, but continued working. She couldn't afford to be distracted by her professor. So her pen moved from left to right, smoothly answering the questions, occasionally adding more information that required. When able, she referenced the source she'd used for her research in the hope that it would make her work stand out. The best assessment pieces were always sent to panel and used as high-quality examples for later years. It was a great honour to have an exam paper sent to panel. Sometimes they were even published in one of the weekly science magazines that Starfleet sponsored.

There. The last question was complete. Zia glanced at the clock and saw that there was still ten minutes left on the exam. She used that time to check her answers and fix small spelling errors here and there. By the time Spock announced that their hour was up, her paper was open to the next part of her assessment.

The retractable screen slid up and she put the headphones over her ears, manoeuvring them to deal with her pointed ears. Hm… The area of space she was examining was Delphi Ardu IV. She changed the frequency on the screen to detect any kind of flare activity within the simulation. A solar flare appeared from the sun and she wrote that down on her paper. For the rest of the hour she examined every part of the system on every frequency and detected a strange energy signal coming from one of the planets. That planet was the site of an ancient Tkon Empire outpost that was protected by a mysterious guardian. Obviously it was a kind of machine, so that was the signal.

"Pens down and simulations off," Spock announced. The screens shut off and retracted and Zia took off her headphones with one hand, the other frantically completing her final sentence. Come on, come on… Yes! She dropped her pen and closed the paper, holding it up for Spock to collect. He moved along the rows, placing all the papers into a pile, and eventually they were dismissed. She smiled gently at Spock, earning a nod from him. Oh, he had such beautiful eyes.

Two exams down, two to go.

o.O.o

Zia was curled up against their window, a blanket wrapped around her and a mug of coffee in her hands. She was staring out into the night, her Vulcan eyesight allowing her to see Spock and a group of professors walking around the Quad and chatting. Normally she would be meditating in his room, but not tonight. Not this week. It was too busy and too hectic for him to take time from his schedule to teach her.

Tara came into the room, dumped her satchel on the floor and collapsed into bed. "I hate exams," she moaned.

"It is necessary," Zia replied, not taking her eyes off the back of Spock's head.

"That was such a Vulcan thing to say," Tara chuckled. "Is that a good thing?"

"I hope so. Or maybe I'm just picking up some annoying habits?"

"Maybe," Tara shrugged.

"Have you eaten?"

"Yeah, I ate just before. I just had to get something in my stomach. I mean, my exam started at five. Why can't I have one that's during the day?"

As Tara mumbled to herself as she got ready for a shower, Zia decided to voice the question that had been bothering her. "Do you know Jim Kirk?"

"I do. He's an infamous womaniser who loves his ladies any hour of the day. I don't recall ever seeing him, but I've heard he's real cute. It's a pity, since he only talks to women who have super-model bodies."

"He talked to me," Zia shrugged, "and I think he flirted. What does that mean?"

"That means that he thinks you're attractive." Tara giggled. "What do you think of him?"

"I think he's bad news," Zia replied truthfully, "and I have absolutely no interest in becoming one of his parade chicks, so don't bug me about it."

Tara raised her hands in surrender. "Hey, I yield. But you should still put yourself out there. It'll be good for your confidence."

"You really think so?"

"I know so. You're gorgeous and exotic. Vulcans are generally seen as pixies with their pointed ears, and I've overheard some of the guys in our year talking about you. One said you were the prettiest Vulcan he'd ever seen."

"That is no difficult feat, since Vulcans rarely leave their homeworld."

"I'm just being honest here. You have nothing to worry about. Most of them are a bit scared of you actually. Vulcans are renowned for their strength and they don't want to do or say something stupid that makes you angry."

Zia took a sip of her coffee and looked out at Spock. "It would be difficult to make me angry. I am much better at shielding my negative emotions, and am working to dial down on my positive ones, although I'd like to keep them. The only problem is the nightmares."

"Hey," Tara murmured, sitting opposite her, "you'll get through this. You have Blair and me sticking with you here, and he knows a bit about what you're going through."

A smile stretched across Zia's face as she looked her roommate in the eye. "Thank you."


	11. Party Time

Monday has finally rolled along (be mindful, I'm going by Australian times so it might be Sunday or Tuesday wherever you live) and so does another chapter! My thanks to wikipedia and memory-beta for providing me with the information necessary to complete this chapter, and **MoreColourfulMoniker **for being an awesome beta!

Oh, and **Kayla7621,** here's that heat you're looking for.

o.O.o

**Chapter 11 – Party Time**

With the test tubes now empty and her bench cleared up, Zia organised her notes on the water samples in alphabetic order. Her last exam was finally complete and she just had to walk out of the exam room…

"Equipment and pens down please," Professor Spalding called. All around her, people rushed to get their things together before the professor reached their bench. Smirking, Zia handed him her exam papers and laced her hands together, waiting for him to tell the class so they could leave. Waiting… waiting… "You may leave the exam room."

Chairs were pushed back as the cadets rushed from the room. Zia scooped up her satchel and celebrated quietly. She had no more exams, and could relax somewhat before the party tomorrow. On her way to her room, she bumped into Uhura.

"Hey," Zia greeted, "any exams left?"

"I'd just completed my last one when dumb Kirk decides he's taking Kobayashi Maru again," she sighed.

"Are you part of his group?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Captain Pike put us in the same group. But I was gonna do what I wanted tomorrow, and now I have to take that stupid test."

Zia smiled with sympathy as they walked together. "That's understandable. Did you say 'Kirk'?"

"Yeah… oh wait. Let me guess. He's tried doing the moves on you?"

"Yes. Rest assured; I'm not going for him. He's not even that attractive."

"At least someone else has a brain," Uhura sighed. "I'm heading for the long-range sensor lab. You wanna come?"

"Sure."

They reached the lab and it was mostly empty, given that exams were still happening. Uhura and Zia sat at a booth with two separate screens and each put on a set of headphones. Zia used the sensors to examine systems that were further out than usual and moved through them methodically, searching for anything out of the ordinary. Hours passed before they found anything.

"Zia, are you picking this up too?" Uhura asked, dialling in on a region of space.

"I was about to ask you the same thing," she replied. "It's an emergency transmission coming from the Klingon prison planet. What does it say?"

Uhura opened the message on her screen. "A Klingon armada has been destroyed… 47 ships?"

"Wow, that's a lot," Zia breathed out heavily, "and the attackers were in one massive ship of unknown design."

"That's weird. I better get back to the room so I can get some sleep for tomorrow." Despite her calm words, Uhura looked worried.

"Okay. I'll go for dinner."

The two went their separate ways, Zia wondering who could have destroyed forty-seven Klingon ships…

o.O.o

"This party is hopping!" Tara gasped.

The roommates stood at the entrance to Ripley's bar in upper San Francisco. It was huge, bright, vibrant, and filled to the brim with Academy cadets and regular people. Most of the eight-hundred cadets seemed to be at this bar; drinking, dancing, and flirting.

"Tara!" They both turned to see a cadet making his way over. "You wanna dance?"

"I'd love to," she grinned, accepting his hand.

Sighing, Zia sat as close to the wall as she could. She felt very self-conscious, as she was wearing knee-high leather boots and a low-cut purple dress Tara had lent her, with her hair tied up in a bun. It was the first time she'd not worn her Academy uniform since arriving, and it was strange without it.

Okay, she needed a drink! Vulcans were unable to get drunk – that much she knew from books – so having some wouldn't hurt. Her dad had sometimes given her some of his beer when he got around to drinking some, and while she hadn't liked the taste, drinking it with her dad was nice.

Leaning against the bar, she caught the eye of one of the bartenders. "Can I please have a Klabnian Fire Tea and N'gaan," she asked, smiling.

"Coming up," the bartender replied. He got to work mixing the drinks and someone slipped in beside her.

"Well, Miss Abbott," Kirk grinned, "fancy seeing you here. You plan on giving one of those drinks to your boyfriend?"

"They're both for me," she replied, opening her purse.

"So, there's no boyfriend?"

"No." She handed over the money and accepted her drinks from the bartender, heading back over to her seat. Kirk sat down beside her and she formed a mask, just like Spock had taught her.

"You know, I passed the Kobayashi Maru test this morning," he said proudly.

"Fascinating," Zia muttered, picking up her Fire Tea. Kirk was about to speak when she lifted the glass to her lips and sculled it in seven seconds.

He blinked. "Are you a lightweight?"

"I'm Vulcan," she pointed out, "I can't get drunk." She sculled her N'gaan too and left both glasses on the table. Where could she go? Where could she get away from Kirk…?

"Hey, Zia, come over here!"

She spun at the shout and saw Uhura sitting at another table a short distance away. Sighing with relief, Zia grabbed her purse and ran over, leaving Kirk sitting there in shock.

"Thank you," she said. "He was getting really annoying."

"Just don't fall for his charms," Uhura told her. "After we detected that transmission I found him hooking up with my roommate in the dorm. You wanna dance?"

"Sure."

Uhura stood and the two of them left the other women at the table. Once on the dance floor, Uhura began to sway her hips in time to the music, her hands pumping and feet stomping. Zia could dance quite well and moved gracefully to the techno song, adding a lot of hip shaking and swaying. The two women danced their erotic dance and a man moved up behind Uhura, grabbing her hips. She pushed him away and continued to dance with Zia.

"I don't want to see you flying solo," she explained. "Look out!"

Zia glanced behind her and saw a man reaching for her hips. She spun neatly out of the way and faced Uhura, repulsion on her face. "They're so desperate!" she exclaimed. "It's really quite gross!"

Abruptly, the song changed to a faster beat. The women began to shimmy, their hips shaking left and right to match the music. Smiles stretched their faces and one of Uhura's friends joined them. The three of them joined hands in a circle and stamped their feet instead of moving their hips, losing themselves in the music.

After a short while Zia left the dance floor, intending to head back to the dorm. Thankfully Kirk was absorbed somewhere else so she could get out without being bothered. Tara was sitting at the bar with some other women and called to Zia as she passed.

"I'm not coming back to the room tonight, so you've got it all to yourself!" she called. Zia nodded her assent and left the bar. After walking down a few crowded streets she realised that she had no idea where she was.

"Uhh," she murmured, staring around her. Was this the way she'd come? No, it couldn't be. Where was the Golden Gate Bridge? This was very, very bad.

"Cadet Abbott?"

She sighed in relief as Spock approached her, dressed in a suit and tie.

"I'm lost," she told him. "Can you please help me back to the Academy?"

"Of course," he nodded, heading off. Zia walked beside him.

"Where did you go?" she asked curiously.

"I attended a dinner for all the professors and senior staff at the Academy," he explained. "We ate and discussed matters of importance." A group of people pushed into them and he grabbed her arm, pulling her close. Electricity shot through her at his touch; his hand against her bare arm. Once the group passed, he let go and pointed at a silver car parked nearby. "I was on my way back to the Academy when I sensed your panic. This car will take us there."

He let her slide inside first and sat beside her, shutting the door. The car lifted off the ground and zoomed along the roads and bridge, coming to a stop outside the Academy. Spock held the door for her and walked her to her room.

"I bid you goodnight," he said once they were at her door. She hesitated, her stomach churning, and grabbed his jacket as he turned.

"Spock," she said quietly. "I don't want to be alone."

"Surely your roommate will be coming back soon," he said calmly.

"No, she's not coming back tonight, and I'm worried that… well, I might go crazy if I'm left alone."

Spock was silent for a moment. "That is understandable. Would you like me to come in?"

"That would be great," she smiled. This would be okay, wouldn't it? They were just a cadet and professor, weren't they? There was nothing romantic between them (or maybe she was in denial). She opened the door and let him inside. He walked across the room, untying his tie and unbuttoning his jacket. While he got comfortable, Zia grabbed a pair of track pants and a t-shirt and changed in the bathroom. It was a relief to be out of that provocative purple dress and into clothes she was more comfortable with. She stared at her face in the mirror. Oh, no. What had she done?! She wasn't going to sleep in Tara's bed, and she wouldn't let Spock sleep in it, so… no, no, no! Oh man, he would have to sleep in her bed with her. That was so awkward! What was she thinking? She should just say she was fine by herself and let him leave. That would be best.

She nodded at her reflection and left the bathroom, intending to send him away. However, she only went two steps before stopping.

Spock was wearing just the pants from his suit and a white singlet shirt. His other clothes were laid over the back of a chair, but Zia didn't notice them. Her eyes were riveted on the well-toned muscles on his arms, and the hint of abs through his singlet shirt. Something stirred in her stomach and she blinked.

"I trust you are not uncomfortable," Spock said in concern.

"No, no, just… surprised."

He nodded and drew the sheets on her bed back, sliding under the covers. Zia swallowed her nerves and walked around to the other side, lying down beside him. Oh, he was so warm! And his skin was beautiful, unblemished porcelain. Or was it marble? It didn't matter. The only thing she processed was that Spock was stunning. There was _this _under the shapeless uniform he always wore. Just the thought of it sent bolts of energy surging through her. What was wrong with her? What were these feelings?

It was going to be a long night.

o.O.o

Zia had fallen asleep hours ago. While she could rest, Spock could not.

He stared at her peaceful face, trying to deny the feelings she brought from him. If only she knew how he'd felt when he saw her in that dress. He'd seen the look on her face when she saw him in just a singlet shirt. She had been shocked.

But this was wrong! He was falling for Zia Abbott and he knew it. This was what he got for caring? Fine! He did care for her. He brushed it off as concern for another Vulcan in pain, but there was more. She had a brilliant mind, but scarred emotions. He'd delved into her mind and knew she was afraid of intimate contact, so being her with her, in her bed, spoke volumes. She trusted him enough to let him share her bed. He had the power to hurt her if he chose to.

And he hoped he never would.

This was a cadet he was thinking about! He was her professor! He knew the rules better than anyone, and he knew that these relationships were strictly forbidden. The only way he could reveal his feelings would be to quit his teaching post and find somewhere else to work.

A whimper escaped her and she turned away from him, curling into a ball. He hesitated. Would she mind? She whimpered again and he shook his head in annoyance. So be it. He gently rolled over to face her and slid an arm around her waist, pulling her into him. They were almost the same height, so he rested his face in her hair, breathing in her scent. Something bubbled in the pit of his stomach and he pushed it down. He couldn't afford to be feeling this right now. She wriggled, her legs entwining with his, and reached up to grasp the arm he'd draped over her. The whimpers were gone, and she breathed out, warmth filling her dreams.

Then he allowed himself to sleep.


	12. Beginning of the Trek

The upload thingy is a little weird, so I'm not exactly sure how this chapter will look until I do upload it. Also, every second Friday there's this thing on and I get home late, so that's the reason for the delay in posting. My classes are getting pretty packed anyway, so I'm working pretty flat out to get everything done. Just have a full plate, that's all.

You know, I don't have to thank wikipedia and memory-beta anymore now. Just my awesome beta **MoreColourfulMoniker** for putting up with me, and I thank you so much for your input and advice!

o.O.o

** Chapter 12 – Beginning of the Trek **

Yawning, Tara wandered through the corridors to her room. She gotten back from the party in the early hours of the morning and had slept in a friends' room. They'd talked for almost two hours about prospective couples and clothes before sleeping until the sun rose.

Now she just really wanted to get back to her room for a shower. Hopefully Zia had had an uneventful night. Tara unlocked the door and opened it, only to shut it and lean against the wall in shock.

Uneventful indeed! What she saw was her roommate and friend lying in bed with Professor Spock's arms around her! Thankfully the two had been clothed, so she hoped a certain event hadn't happened that night. Oh man, she should just go get some breakfast and leave them alone.

o.O.o

Zia woke slowly from the best sleep she'd had in ages. Mmm, she was so warm and comfy. Did she get new blankets? She didn't remember getting new blankets… but she must have. Smiling, she snuggled in further, and the blanket stroked the back of her hand.

Her eyes flew open. That was no blanket… it was _Spock_.

"Good morning," he murmured.

"Uh, morning to you too," she stammered.

"I apologise for this position," he said, pulling back. "You had bad dreams and it was the only way to calm you."

She sat up and faced him, only to stare into his soft brown eyes. Those weren't the eyes of an emotionless Vulcan. Everything seemed to swirl in their depths – anger, sadness, hate, hope, happiness, love. Wait, wait, wait… love? No, it couldn't be love, or maybe he was thinking of his mother.

"Th-thanks," she stuttered. For the first time, a smile stretched across his face, and she couldn't help but think how beautiful it made him look.

"You are welcome." For a split second his eyes flicked down to her lips, but then the moment was over. He stood, putting on the white long-sleeved shirt he had worn over the singlet and under his jacket.

"Where are you, uh…?" "

Third- and fourth-years have been called into the assembly hall this morning," he exclaimed. "I must change into my uniform and attend, since I was the one who called the meeting."

Zia decided to be bold. "Will you come back?" "

Only if you wish me to," he assured her. The boldness had still not left her and she stood, coming up to almost the same height as him. His stern face softened somewhat and she touched the tips of his ears. They were truly remarkable. "

Thank you," she said softly.

"You are welcome," he said again. "I must go."

He turned and left the room, his mask descending again. Zia watched him go; a mixture of anxiety and hope on her face. This was the closest she'd ever been with someone romantically, and she hoped that she was right. Last night had changed everything.

The door opened again and Tara came inside. "Okay, spill! What happened with the professor?"

Once the door shut, Zia sat back down on her bed. "Nothing bad, I assure you. I got lost on my way back to the Academy and he escorted me back. Since you weren't going to be here, I asked him to stay so I wasn't alone. The only reason he was in my bed is because I didn't want him to sleep in yours."

"What about the cuddling?"

"Apparently I had some bad dreams and he did it to calm me. Whatever he did, it worked."

Tara tilted her head. "You like him!"

Worry fluttered in Zia's stomach. "I know, but it's wrong. He's my professor. I shouldn't have let him stay last night."

"Did you kiss?"

"No!"

"Why didn't you? He's totally into you," she exclaimed. "It's so cute!"

Zia shifted uncomfortably. If he did care, then what did that mean?

o.O.o

"Cadet Abbott!"

Zia glanced around and saw a redshirt running toward her.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Commander Spock requests for you to come to Hanger 1," the redshirt panted.

"Lead the way," she replied. She sent an apologetic look to Tara and raced after the redshirt, crossing the entire campus to Starfleet Headquarters. Hangar 1 was the biggest of them all and bustling with activity. Zia spotted Spock talking with Uhura and thanked the redshirt before heading over, dodging between countless shuttles and groups of cadets. She smiled at Uhura and sent a questioning look at Spock.

"We intercepted a distress signal from Vulcan," he told her. "I am First Officer aboard the _U.S.S. Enterprise_ and will be leaving to assist. As you are my responsibility, you will be coming with me. I cannot help you when I am light-years away."

"Okay," she nodded. "Where do I go?"

"Follow me." He led her to a shuttle a short distance away and nodded to the officer standing outside. "Sit here," he told her. She sat where he instructed and watched as other cadets boarded the shuttle. To her surprise, Uhura entered.

"What are you doing here?" Uhura asked, sitting beside her.

"Uh, I'm Spock's responsibility or something. It doesn't make much sense. Like, he can't be responsible for me if he's light-years away."

"Think of it this way," Uhura said softly, "he's a doctor and you're his patient. He's the one who has been monitoring your progress and he's being reassigned to another hospital. He doesn't want to leave you with another doctor, so he's taking you with him. That way he knows you'll be okay."

"That makes more sense."

"You're probably the only first-year here. The rest of us are third- and fourth-years. Just stick with me."

"Thank you!"

The last of the cadets boarded and the shuttle took off. Zia panicked for a moment. This was her first time in space, and she hadn't told Tara or her parents that she was going. Oh no, Tara! She was probably flipping out right now! All thoughts were pushed from her mind when she saw the Starships. There were seven of them docked at a space station, shuttles flying to each of them. The _Newton, Odyssey, Farragut, Wolcott,_ _Endeavour, Antares,_ and _Enterprise_ – they were the seven Starships that would travel to Vulcan. It was a magnificent sight. She took a second to realise the importance of the mission. Now she wasn't an individual struggling to overcome emotional scarring; she was part of a team that was going to travel to Vulcan. Her presence there was complete and utter luck. If she was like any other cadet, then she wouldn't be here right now. She'd be eating breakfast and talking about plans for the spring holidays. They'd just started, she remembered. Her parents were expecting a call tonight, only they wouldn't get one.

Their shuttle docked on the _Enterprise_ and they took off their seatbelts. "Come with me," Uhura whispered.

"Who's the Captain?" Zia asked, as they joined the throng heading through the Shuttle Bay.

"Captain Pike," Uhura explained. "Come on, we need to change."

Uhura led her through Engineering and to the women's locker room, right near the Bridge. Inside there were uniforms of different colours and sizes, and countless other women changing into these Starship uniforms. Uhura grabbed a red uniform and handed Zia a blue one. After a quick glance around the room, Zia panicked as she saw that there were no change rooms. This was going to be embarrassing. She took a deep breath and pulled off her cadet uniform, displaying the scars that peppered her torso for all to see. This was the reason she always wore a one-piece and never walked around unclothed. The stares burned into her as she pulled on the short-sleeved blue shirt and skirt, pushing her hair behind her ears and leaving her boots on.

Once they were both ready, Uhura went onto the Bridge with Zia in tow. "Sit here," she whispered. "This is the subspace anomaly console."

Zia sat. "How do you know?"

"I studied the blueprints for this ship," Uhura grinned. "It's been my dream to serve aboard the _Enterprise_ for ages." She sat to Zia's left at the console beside her and examined its contents. Reasoning that she should be doing the same, Zia glanced over the information on the console, seeing it to be a map of the Vulcan system. So this was the planet where her biological parents had grown up on. It was very orange and dusty-looking, just like Utah.

The turbolift opened and Zia looked up to see Spock come towards her, dressed in a new blue uniform. He met her eyes briefly and sat at the console on her other side. She understood. If Vulcan was in danger then he would be worried. His parents were there after all. Now was no time to question about his feelings.

"Mister Spock," Captain Pike greeted as he came onto the Bridge.

Spock glanced at his console. "Captain, engineering reports 'ready for launch'."

"Thank you," Captain Pike said, heading for his chair. "Ladies and gentlemen, the maiden voyage of our newest flagship deserves more pomp and circumstance than we can afford today, but her christening will just have to be our reward for a safe return. Carry on." He sat down in the command chair and pressed his intercom. "All decks, this is Captain Pike. Prepare for immediate departure."

As everyone prepared for Warp, Zia leant to Spock. "Thanks for letting me come," she whispered.

"It is no problem," he said, all business-like. "I could not allow you to remain at the Academy in your condition." He frowned. "Why are we not at Warp?" He spun in his chair and listened to Captain Pike talk to the helmsman.

"Is the parking brake on?" the Captain asked in amusement.

Hikaru Sulu, the helmsman, half-laughed, "Uh, no… I'll figure it out, just uh…"

Spock interrupted. "Have you disengaged the external inertial dampener?" There was a pause and then Sulu pressed a few buttons. Zia hadn't known that Spock knew a thing or two about ships. Well, he did teach fourth-year _Warp Engineering_ class, so of course he was knowledgeable about ships to some extent. She believed he bordered on genius by human standards.

"Ready for Warp, sir," Sulu said. He had the grace to look embarrassed, but that didn't dampen anyone's excitement.

"Let's punch it," Captain Pike declared. Sulu pushed down the lever, and the _U.S.S. Enterprise_ jumped into Warp.


	13. Katrik Ark

Hopefully the hard work of watching and re-watching scenes from the movie is appreciated. Just for all of you! Seriously, sometimes they really mumble the words and it takes a little bit of hard listening to figure out _exactly _what they're trying to say. Take the 'bleh blah blah bleh' argument between Kirk and Spock on the Bridge. Didn't even try with that one...

My thanks to my beta **MoreColourfulMoniker **for her approval of this chapter. You're fantabulous!

o.O.o

**Chapter 13 – Katrik Ark **

Zia was starting to feel out of place on the Bridge. She was the only first-year and very unexperienced compared to the third- and fourth-years around her. What with Captain Pike and other adults, she was one of the youngest people aboard, except for Ensign Chekov who she learned was seventeen.

"Is it supposed to be so uneventful?" she murmured to Uhura from the corner of her mouth.

"I have no idea." Uhura looked thoughtful. "Let's go to deck four to do some signal monitoring. From what I know, you're good with that kind of stuff." "

Sure," Zia agreed. They stood and left the Bridge, Spock staring after Zia with his expression as unreadable as ever. "Look," Zia said as they headed for a turbolift, "thank you for letting me tag along with you. I hope I'm not like a puppy or anything and you'll think I'm annoying."

"Oh, it's okay," Uhura waved her hand. "You don't know anyone here, so I'm happy to help out."

"I only know two," she muttered. They entered a turbolift and took it to deck four.

"Station twelve is free," Uhura announced, pointing over. The room was full of machinery, equipment and people, some of whom gave Zia dirty looks as she passed.

"Why are they looking at me like that?" she asked in a small voice.

Uhura sent her best glare out to everyone, telling them to back off. "I don't think they like Vulcans very much. Come on, let's share a station."

They both grabbed a chair and sat in front of the station, adjusting the frequency. Once they failed to detect any kind of signal on that frequency they moved onto the next.

Ensign Chekov's voice sounded over the intra-ship communication system. "May I have your attention please? At 2200 hours, telemetry detected an anomaly in ze neutral zone; what appeared to be a lightning storm in space. Soon after, Starfleet received a distress signal from ze Wulcan high command; zat zeir planet was experiencing seismic activity. Our mission is to assess ze condition of Wulcan and assist in ze evacuations if necessary. We should be arriving at Wulcan within three minutes, zank you for your time."

"You gonna be okay?" Uhura asked.

"Why would you ask?"

"Well, you're Vulcan, so…"

"I've never set foot on that planet as far as I am aware, and my Vulcan parents sure didn't care enough to keep me as a baby. I was just hours old when they abandoned me."

"Still, are you gonna be okay?" Zia grunted and changed the frequency. She really didn't want to talk about this with Uhura. It wasn't that she didn't like her – she did – but that she didn't want to open up to another person. Just opening up to two people was tough enough.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and spun around, her eyes widening as she recognised Kirk. What was wrong with his hands?!

"Uhura!" he cried, "Uhura!"

She stood, confused. "Kirk, what are you doing here?"

"The transmission from the Klingon prison planet, what exactly did it say?!"

"Oh my God, what is wrong with your hands?!" Uhura exclaimed, panicking. Behind Kirk, another man in a blue shirt ran a scanner behind Kirk's head, his lips pursed in displeasure.

He shook his head and waved his hands. "I-i-i-t's look: who is responsible for the Klingon attack and was ith womulun." Confusion spread across Uhura's face as his words became indiscernible. His tongue seemed to be expanding to fill his entire mouth.

"Was it the, what?" Uhura asked in annoyance and confusion. Kirk turned to the man behind him, who was still holding the scanner. "Wath happenin' ta my mouf?" he asked; his words difficult to make out.

The man frowned. "You got numb tongue?" he asked, frowning.

"Numb tung!" Kirk shouted. What was he trying to say?

"I can fix that," the man said, bending down and reaching into his medical kit.

"Was the ship what?" Uhura asked as Kirk faced her again.

"Womuluns," he said quickly.

"What? I-" "

Womuluns," he repeated, slowly and clearly.

Uhura pieced it together. "Romulans," she stated.

"Yeah," Kirk said in relief.

"Yeah," she nodded. Kirk was about to say something else when the man stabbed him in the neck with a medical needle. He yelled in pain and shook his head to clear it.

"We gotta ge' to da Bridge," he shouted, turning and racing off. The man grabbed his medical kit and he and Uhura raced after Kirk. Seeing no other alternative, Zia stood and ran too. She had to wait a second for the turbolift to open and once out, darted after the other three to the Bridge.

"Jim!" the man cried.

"What's going on?" Uhura demanded.

"Jim! Come back!" The door in front of them opened and the four of them sprinted into the Bridge.

"Captain, Captain!" Kirk shouted.

"Jim! Come back!" the man repeated, his arms flying as they came to an unsteady halt in front of Captain Pike.

"Captain Pike, sir, we have to stop the ship!" Kirk cried.

Captain Pike stood up from the command chair; his face stern. "Kirk, how the hell did you get on board the _Enterprise_?" On the other side of the room, Zia saw Spock stand up from his console. Uhura rushed to join him and Zia, not wanting to be left standing on her own, joined them.

The man stepped forward and stood between Kirk and Captain Pike.

"Captain, this man is under the influence of severe reaction to a vaccine, he's completely delusional and I take full responsibility."

Kirk tried to interrupt him, "Bones, Bones, Bones, please! Ugh, Vulcan is not experiencing a natural disaster! It's being attacked by Romulans."

The pair fell silent and Captain Pike looked between them. "Romulans?" he snapped.

"Cadet Kirk, I think you've had enough attention for one day." He turned to the man beside Kirk. "McCoy, take him back to Medical. We'll have words later."

"Aye Captain," McCoy said, reaching for Kirk. However the man ran forward. "No, sir, that same anomaly-"

"Kirk-"

Spock stepped forward. "Mister Kirk is not cleared to be aboard this ship," he said firmly.

Kirk snorted. "Look, I get it; you're a great arguer-"

It was that point that Zia lost track of who was speaking what. She glanced between the three men, completely confused. Eventually their voices stopped overlapping and because discernable.

"Try it!" Kirk shouted. "This cadet is trying to save this ship!"

"By recommending a complete stop mid-Warp during a rescue mission," Spock grated.

"It's not a rescue mission, listen to me. It's an attack."

"Based on what facts?"

Kirk hesitated. "That same anomaly, a lightning storm in space that you saw today also occurred on the day of my birth, before a Romulan ship attacked the _U.S.S. Kelvin_." Kirk glanced at Captain Pike. "You know that sir, I read your dissertation. That ship which had formidable and advanced weaponry was never seen or heard from again. _Kelvin_ attacked on a place on the edge of Klingon space and at 2300 hours two nights' ago there was an attack. Forty-seven Klingon warbirds destroyed by Romulans sir, and it was reported that the Romulans were in one ship – one massive ship."

"And you know of this Klingon attack how?" Captain Pike asked, clearly suspicious. Kirk looked at Uhura and Zia, an expectant expression on his face.

Uhura gulped. "Sir, I intercepted and translated the message myself. Kirk's report is accurate."

Satisfied, Kirk faced Captain Pike again. "We're Warping into a trap, sir. There are Romulans waiting for us, I promise you that."

There was a pause as Captain Pike glanced at Spock. "The cadet's logic is sound," the Vulcan said, almost reluctantly, "and Lieutenant Uhura is unmatched in xenolinguistics, we would be wise to accept her conclusion." Jealousy burned in the pit of Zia's stomach as he said that.

Captain Pike glanced between the two men and turned to his signal analyser. "Scan Vulcan space, check for any transmissions in Romulan," he ordered.

There was yet another pause. "Sir," the analyser said, "I'm not sure I can distinguish the Romulan language from Vulcan." What use was he as an analyser if he couldn't do that? Captain Pike had the same thought and walked forward to stand beside Uhura.

"What about you?" he asked. "You speak Romulan, cadet…?"

She brimmed with pride, "Uhura – all three dialects sir."

Captain Pike nodded. "Uhura, relieve the Lieutenant."

"Yes sir," she nodded, hiding her gleeful smile. She moved to sit at the console and put on the earpiece, tapping at the controls.

"Hannity," Captain Pike called, "hail the _U.S.S. Truman_."

"All the other ships are out of Warp sir, and have arrived at Vulcan," Hannity said, "but we seem to have lost all contact."

Uhura spoke. "Sir, I pick up no Romulan transmissions – or transmissions of any kind in the area."

"That's because they're being attacked," Kirk said pointedly. Captain Pike warily crossed the room and sat in his chair.

"Shields up," he ordered, "activate red alert."

Alarms rang out and Zia leapt into her chair, holding on tight. Were they really going into a combat situation? She had no training at all. Please let it be a fluke…

"Arrival at Vulcan in five seconds," Sulu announced. "Four, three, two-"

The _Enterprise_ dropped out of Warp and into a graveyard of Starships. Zia whimpered as evasive manoeuvres were activated and gripped the sides of her chair, tearing her eyes away from space and towards her console. She didn't notice Spock climbing into his chair, but she noticed when he reached across and grabbed her hand. Everyone was shouting, alarms were blaring and the ship was groaning as debris impacted the exterior. It was so confusing, sudden and overwhelming that she didn't know how to deal with it.

Then they saw it.

Much larger than the _Enterprise_, the Romulan ship hovered just above the Vulcan atmosphere with some kind of energy device inserted into the planet. It was huge and intimidating. Zia took a deep breath and Spock tightened his grip on her hand as he stared out at the ship.

While they still moved, the world seemed to pause for a moment as they stared at this huge, huge threat.

Suddenly Spock's console beeped and he stared at the screen. "Captain!" he cried. "They're locking torpedos!"

Captain Pike started shouting orders, and seconds later missiles from the Romulan ship impacted the Enterprise, throwing everyone around. Uhura was tossed from her chair and about to whack the console behind her, but Zia leapt forward and tackled her in mid-air. There was so much noise and confusion! Everyone was shouting; steam was hissing from control valves; alarms were blaring like crazy. It was hectic.

"Thanks," Uhura said breathlessly, attempting to climb to her feet. Another missile hit the ship and the two were jerked across the ground and onto the raised platform where the Captain's chair was. There was a lapse in fire and they used that time to scramble to their feet.

"Captain," Spock said, "the Romulan ship has lowered some kind of high-energy pulse device into the Vulcan atmosphere. Its signal appears to be blocking our Transporter and communication abilities."

"All power to forward shields," Captain Pike ordered, "and prepare to fire all weapons."

Zia grabbed Uhura's arm and dragged her back to their seats, stumbling as the ship tilted. They both slammed into their chairs and braced themselves for the next impact. Uhura's screen beeped suddenly and she stared at it in shock.

"Captain, we're being hailed," Uhura shouted, standing. The forward window glazed over, like a screen, and a face appeared on it. He was distinctly Romulan with the whole facial tattoo thing done, the bald head and everything. "Hello," he said. Zia blinked. She expected him to sound deep and gravelly – not casual.

"I'm Captain Christopher Pike. To whom am I speaking?"

"Hi Christopher I'm Nero."

"You've declared war against the Federation. Withdraw, and I'll agree to arrange a conference with the Romulan leadership at a neutral location."

"I do not speak for the Empire. We stand apart, as does your Vulcan crewmember, isn't that right, Spock?"

All eyes flew to Spock and Zia, seated right next to each other. Slowly, Spock stood and walked forward. "Pardon me; I do not believe that you and I are acquainted."

"No we're not." Nero spoke in a dangerously low voice. "Not yet. Spock, there's something I would like you to see. Captain Pike, your Transporter has been disabled, as you can see by the rest of your armada. I had no choice. You will man a shuttle and come aboard the _Narada_ for negotiations. That is all."

Nero disappeared from the window, leaving behind him a stunned silence. All eyes turned to Captain Pike and Spock and Kirk spoke over each other.

"He'll kill you, you know that-"

"Your survival is unlikely-"

"-Captain, we gain nothing by diplomacy. Going over to that ship is a mistake."

"-I too agree; you should rethink your strategy."

Captain Pike shot them a hard look. "I understand that." He stared around the room. "I need officers who have been trained in advanced hand-to-hand combat."

Sulu put his hand up immediately. "I have training sir."

"Come with me," Captain Pike ordered. "Kirk, you too; you're not supposed to be here anyway. Chekov, you have the comm."

"Oh, aye Keptain," Chekov nodded. Captain Pike, Kirk, Sulu and Spock all left the Bridge. Once they were gone silence descended and Zia glanced at Uhura in worry.

"Will they be okay?" she asked softly.

"I don't know," Uhura sighed, adjusting the earpiece on her ear. "Help me with signal scanning," she said.

Nodding, Zia took her own earpiece off its stand and moved to put it on. Problem was that it was designed for a human ear. Even on the largest setting it still wasn't big enough, so she abandoned hope and slipped it back into the stand, instead looking for physical anomalies like ships and signs that the _Narada_ was powering up weapons. Her eyes scanned the screen continuously and her mind was focused on the job. She didn't want to think about almost four-hundred cadets dying… or the imminent destruction or Vulcan… or the loss of all those good people… no! Snap out of it!

The door to the Bridge opened and Spock marched through purposefully, ignoring everyone and heading straight for the Captain's chair. He sat down in the chair and tapped the comm. "Doctor Puri, report." There was a pause. "Then you have just inherited his responsibility as Chief Medical Officer."

This time Zia made out the annoyed response from McCoy: "Yeah, tell me something I don't know!"

Spock hesitated for a moment before standing and moving to the console beside Zia. "Miss Abbott," he said softly, "soon it will become very busy in here again. I suggest you take this moment to contact your parents and let them know that you are alright."

She nodded and smiled, meeting his eyes. "Yes." For a second she was frozen in place by that hypnotic gaze, but she glanced away and the moment was over. "Where would I find a communicator?" Spock considered her question and tapped a compartment under his console. It popped open, revealing a communicator and he handed it to her. "Thank you. Hey, what's with you sitting in the Captain's chair?"

He tilted his head (his equivalent of a smile) and stood. "I am Acting Captain until Captain Pike returns." Placing his hands behind his back, he went back to the Captain's chair and sat down, spinning in it once for her benefit. It earned him a smile from her and she shook her head before tightening her grip on the communicator and heading out into the corridor. Once she was in a secluded spot, she dialled her parents' number and waited.

_ "Hi, this is Giana, Patty and Zia. We can't answer right now, but please leave a message." _

"Mum, dad, it's me. I'm not at the Academy right now. I'm on a Starship and in the middle of a rescue mission, but I am safe. Please don't worry, and please don't call back. It's pretty crazy around here and I won't have the time to answer. I was lucky to get a moment to call in the first place. I love you both."

She ended the call and sighed. They were going to freak out when they got that message. Grumbling, she rushed back to the Bridge and sat back in her seat, pressing the screen and zooming in on an area of space. She could clearly see three figures falling through Vulcan's atmosphere.

"What's going on?" she asked Uhura.

"Kirk, Sulu and Olson are space-jumping to deactivate that space drill so we can get our Transporter abilities back," Uhura explained. "Keep watching."

Nodding, Zia heard an alarm sound and turned to see the altitude for all three men lighting up the front window. The alarm continued to beep away ominously. "Avay team is entering ze atmosphere," Chekov said, "Tventy-sousand metres… approaching ze platform at fifty-eight hundred metres…"

_"Kirk to_ Enterprise; _the distance to target is five-thousand metres."_

"Forty-six hundred metres from ze platform," Chekov stated.

_"Forty-five hundred metres to target,"_ Sulu shouted.

_"Four thousand metres,"_ Kirk said calmly.

_"Three thousand metres."_

_"Three thousand metres."_

_"Two thousand metres."_

_"Pull the chute!"_ Sulu ordered.

_"Ten thousand metres."_

_"Come on, pull your chute Olson!"_ Kirk ordered.

_"Not yet, not yet,"_ Olson begged, _"Five thousand metres!" _

_"Olson, pull your chute!"_ Kirk shouted.

Olson let out a great yell of delight; _"One thousand metres!"_ He let out a gleeful yell, followed by a scream, and his life-sign dropped out.

Chekov blinked in horror. "Olson is gone, sir." He watched the controls and turned back to Spock. "Kirk has landed, sir."

As Chekov sent that, Zia felt a spike of annoyance pierce her head. Only it wasn't hers. How come Spock was annoyed that Kirk had landed? Well, they might have a past, but even though Zia didn't like him she certainly wouldn't want him to die… especially with the fate of Vulcan hanging in the balance.

There was a tense wait as the entire Bridge observed Kirk and Sulu on the platform. For a few minutes it seemed like they had failed.

Uhura was still monitoring her console and spoke suddenly and loudly. "The jamming signal is gone. Transporter abilities are re-established."

"Transporter control is reengaged sir," Chekov added.

"Chekov," Spock said, "run gravitational sensors. I want to know what they are doing to the planet."

"Aye Commander- Keptain, sorry Keptain," Chekov stammered as he got to work.

_"Kirk to_ Enterprise _– they just launched something into the planet through the hole they just drilled. Do you copy Enterprise?"_

Everywhere around Zia people were shouting and working frantically at their consoles. What could she do? She was only a first-year cadet with no knowledge of how a Starship operates-

"Keptain, ze gravitational sensors are off ze scale. If my calculations are correct, zeir creating a singularity zat will consume ze planet."

She felt Spock's worry and it was stronger than hers. A bubble of uneasiness simmered away at the base of her stomach and Spock's worry added to that. "They're creating a black hole at the centre of Vulcan?" he asked, his voice betraying only a little bit of the horror he felt.

"Yes sir," Chekov said apologetically.

"How long does the planet have?"

"Minutes sir, minutes," Chekov shrugged. Spock leapt to his feet and passed by Zia and Uhura.

"Miss Abbott, come with me," he ordered without turning. "Lieutenant, alert Vulcan Command Centre to signal a planet-wide evacuation on all channels all frequencies."

"Spock, wait!" Uhura called, racing after them.

"Please maintain standard orbit," he told her, standing in the turbolift with Zia beside him.

"Where are you going?" Uhura asked.

"To evacuate the Vulcan High Council, they are tasked with protecting our cultural history; my parents will be among them."

"Can't you beam them out?"

"It is impossible. They will be in the Katrik Ark, I must get them myself. Chekov, you have the comm!" The doors closed and the lift activated. "Miss Abbott, I require your help to retrieve the High Council. Only Vulcans can access the Katrik Ark and I need you with me. Do you understand?"

"Yes," she nodded. "I understand."

The doors opened and Spock barely refrained from running as they headed for the Transporter pad. They made a quick stop at the armoury to grab a utility belt each and didn't bother putting them on as they speed-walked to the pad. Upon entering, Zia saw Kirk and Sulu lying on the pad looking a bit worse for wear, but they were alive. Kirk gave her a funny look as she strapped on the belt and he glanced at her slim legs.

"Clear the pad," Spock ordered as he strapped on his own belt. "We are beaming to the surface."

Kirk blinked as he stood, "The surface of what? What, you're going down there?" He and Sulu left the pad. "Are you nuts? Spock, you can't do that!"

Spock and Zia both knelt down. "Energise."

They were engulfed in a beam of white light and the next thing they knew, they were on Vulcan. All around them rocks crumbled and the ground shook. Spock peered around once and pointed to an entrance in the mountain in front of them. He grabbed her hand and together they raced up the huge mountain, holding tight to each other. Rocks slipped from under their feet but when Zia slipped, Spock pulled her up and they kept on going. Closer… closer… okay, they were in! The entrance tunnel was pretty dingy, but since it was sacred it didn't matter.

Brushing dirt from their faces, Spock and Zia burst into the chamber, panting heavily. Wow! The Ark was massive! It must take up the entire core of the mountain, and there were some pretty cool statues dotting the area. Half a dozen Vulcans stood around a large statue right in the very middle. Spock and Zia raced up the stairs, shielding their heads from falling debris, and came to a stop in front of the High Council.

A woman stood from where she knelt. "Spock?" "

The planet has only seconds left, we must evacuate!" Spock shouted. The panic was obvious in his voice, but who was Zia to judge? He was too worried about his parents to even think to let go of her hand. The other Vulcans glanced at her, glanced at each other, and moved towards the exit. "Mother, now," Spock told her, holding out his other hand.

The Vulcans and the one human raced from the Ark, a statue toppling over and killing one of them. Zia closed her ears to the screams and focused on running ahead of Spock and leading the way. Behind them, another Vulcan was killed, but they raced on, bursting from the Ark to face the destruction of Vulcan.

Spock let go of Zia's hand and grabbed a communicator from his utility belt. "Spock to _Enterprise_; get us out now!"

Zia glanced around at the other Vulcans with them. Their faces showed no emotion, but they huddled close like frightened children. Rocks showered down from the mountain and rolled further down, emphasising the destruction. She would have liked to come here one day, perhaps to meet her real parents. But they were probably dead.

Probably dead… yes, they probably were.

White light slowly formed around each of them as the beam was activated. But it was too slow. Zia's heart was pounding and blood rushed to her head. The ground beneath her was weakening, she could feel it. Spock's mother turned and looked him in the eye, pure terror on her face. Zia knew what was about to happen a second before it did. She shouted out, but the ground beneath Spock's mother collapsed, and she fell, screaming.

"NO!" Spock yelled, his arm flying up, as if to grab her. Then they were on the _Enterprise_, safe from the destruction.

But it was too late. She was gone.


	14. How Vulcans Grieve

So this one is being posted earlier than usual, because I've finished all the major written assessments and I have time during class. Hopefully this resolves the intense cliff-hanger in the last chapter...

My thanks to **MoreColourfulMoniker **for being an awesome beta!

o.O.o

**Chapter 14 – How Vulcans Grieve**

Pain flared in Zia's head, making stars dance in front of her eyes. She could feel Spock's agony as clear as anything, but she fought to keep her expression neutral. In front of her, Spock panted and stared at the space where she once stood, as if she would suddenly reappear.

_'She can't be gone…'_ His thoughts sounded in her mind, reverberating around her searing head. She blinked and the stars disappeared, allowing her to see everyone staring at the floor uncomfortably. The blood flowed away from her ears, and she heard nothing but electronics. He stepped forward, staring at where she should have appeared. Pain flared again and she fought it down, allowing some of her own pain into the mix. That way they could grieve in the only way they knew how – in the mind.

He glanced at her once, his face blank, and left the Transporter pad.

o.O.o

"Acting Captain's log, Stardate 2258.42: we have had no word from Captain Pike. I have therefore classified him as a hostage of the war criminal known as Nero; Nero, who has destroyed my home planet and most of its six billion inhabitants. While the essence of our culture has been saved in the Elders who now reside upon this ship, I estimate no more than ten thousand have survived. I am now a member of an endangered species."

His mother was gone. Vulcan was gone. Why?

Grief surged through him and he stood abruptly from the Captain's chair, moving quickly to the turbolift. There was only one person he wanted to talk to right now. He stepped into the turbolift, spun around, and blinked as he saw Uhura joining him. The doors closed and she pressed a button, the sadness obvious on her face.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm sorry." Her hands touched both sides of his face and tears clouded her eyes. "I'm so sorry." Spock barely anticipated the kiss and turned his head, so it landed on his cheek. She was making a mistake. He'd never felt attraction to her. She was one of his best cadets, yes, and he knew she harboured feelings for him, but he didn't return them… couldn't return them. She pulled back, hurt flashing in her eyes, but she stayed there. "What do you need?" she asked. "Tell me." She pressed a button and the turbolift began to move.

"I need everyone to continue performing admirably," he said quietly.

"Okay," she whispered. She patted his face and turned. Once the turbolift doors opened, they both left it briskly, allowing no one to sense her rejection.

Spock used the mind-meld to determine where she was. She was alone and in a small space – one of the supply closets where she wouldn't be disturbed. He could feel her grief, the same to his, and he wanted to grieve with the one person who could understand him.

When he opened the door, she hid from sight, only coming out once he closed it. Seeing who it was, she let out a sob and threw herself into his arms, crying freely into his shirt. He laid his head on her shoulder and allowed tears to well up, knowing that he needed to get some of it out now to better his performance.

"They're gone," Zia hiccupped, "Your mum, the planet, possibly my Vulcan parents… those four-hundred cadets on the other Starships." She buried her face and howled into his shirt. "Here I am, thinking about my own problems, and all these people are dying. It's not_ fair_! Your mum was a wonderful woman."

"Yes," Spock whispered, pulling her as close to him as he could. That didn't seem to be enough. He couldn't express his feelings like he wanted to. She sensed his need.

"Mind-meld," she murmured. He took a step back.

"Do you wish me to?"

"Yes. You need to."

Spock placed his fingers on key points on her face and closed his eyes, initiating the mind-meld. Immediately, emotions flowed through him – some were his and some were hers.

_'Our planet has been destroyed,'_ he spoke.

_'Show me your memories of it.'_ He complied, and projected all his happy memories of Vulcan – laughing with his mother, taking long walks by himself and watching the Vulcan sunset. In his mind, he smiled at the memories. The pain flared freshly but it didn't seem as bad. Their emotions mingled and his shoulders sagged.

_'She's gone,'_ he whispered.

_'They're all gone.'_ Zia's voice inside his head was shaking. _'I can feel your anger. Keep it contained.' _

_'That is dangerous.' _

_'If you keep it contained, then you can let it out when you need it most. If you go after Nero-' _

_'I cannot do that.' _

_'Why can't you?' _

_'Captain Pike's orders were to return to the Laurentian System and rendezvous with the fleet there.' _

_'Spock, that's a bad idea. Nero destroyed our home planet. He killed your mother. He probably killed my parents.' _

_'Regardless, I must think of the safety of my crew.' _

_She paused. 'I understand that. Do what you think is best for us all. I believe in you.' _

Their eyes slowly opened as the mind-meld dissipated. He stared into her eyes and wrapped his arms around her, feeling her faith. At least someone was on his side. His shoulder moistened as tears fell from her eyes and she gripped him harder, sobs racking her body. They stayed like that for several minutes, before she slowly quietened and moved back. She wiped her face and used her other hand to clear the wetness from his eyes. He drew a shaky breath and stood up straighter, his hands still on her waist.

"Thank you," she breathed, touching his face gently. "Thank you for coming when Tara asked, and thank you for teaching me."

"Thank you for allowing me to grieve," he replied, pressing his forehead to hers. She wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed gently.

"Now mister, you have a ship to run," she said sternly. "It wouldn't do for the _Enterprise_ to Warp into a crisis with its Captain in a supply closet with one of his cadets now, would it?"

While they were still upset, he had to admire how she'd changed from the frightened cadet he'd known at the beginning of the term, to this brave woman who worked to bury her emotions like a true Vulcan. "Of course, cadet," he nodded.

"Okay," she nodded. "I'll go and get some food for the Bridge and get some redshirts to deliver stuff to the other decks."

Spock nodded and left briskly, the mask descending. His previous vulnerability was gone and now that his façade was back up, he was ready to sit in the chair again.

o.O.o

Zia's brow furrowed as she looked through the lists of food aboard the ship. There was a lot to choose from… what was small, but nutritious and filling? Oh, and she'd need water too.

"Excuse me," she said to a passing redshirt, "do you know what the best food choice is?"

"Yeah," he said, "the High-Content Bar. I know it doesn't sound like much, but it's got fibre, protein, energy and everything the average body needs."

"Thanks," she nodded.

"What's it for?"

"Oh, I'm taking some food to the Bridge," she explained. "Everyone's probably getting hungry."

"I'll take some down to Engineering," he offered. "I was heading down there anyway." He called to a nearby nurse. "Hey, come get some food for the Med Lab!"

Zia typed in the order and the food synthesiser created dozens of the bars. Zia grabbed a box, as did the other two, and then another order was made for water. Supporting both boxes, she nodded to the two other crewmembers and took the turbolift to the Bridge, noticing that they'd jumped into Warp. Someone shouted as she entered, and all eyes were on her.

"I've got food if you're hungry," she said clearly. The crewmembers converged on her, taking one or two bars and a bottle of water before moving back to their seats. Spock looked at her; his face blank but eyes sad; and accepted a bar.

"Hey," Uhura said as Zia sat next to her. The Vulcan activated her console and slid her finger across the screen.

"What did I miss?" she asked, opening her bar.

"Just Kirk getting kicked off the ship," Uhura smirked. "He wanted to go after the Romulans, but Spock is going to the Laurentian System. Kirk was jettisoned to Delta Vega just before we jumped into Warp."

"Isn't that a bit extreme?" Zia commented, taking a bite of her bar.

"What's up with you Vulcans?" Uhura asked suddenly.

Zia stared at her, her face blank. "What?"

"Your planet was just destroyed. I confronted him and he didn't even seem upset. Now you're sitting here, eating food, and not even grieving."

"Uhura, you don't know what you're talking about," Zia said quietly, staring her in the face. "I am grieving, but I'm not grieving for the loss of Vulcan. Four hundred cadets and almost six billion Vulcans were killed. Trust me, I am grieving, but I now know how to bury it."

"What about Spock?"

There was a pause and Zia tilted her head. "Don't irritate him."


	15. Time to Kick some Romulan Ass

Booyah! I don't know about you, but I love posting on Monday's! Okay, there's only a few more chapters left, so I'd like your opinion on a sequel. Would you read it? If I get enough positive results, I'll tell you the title in the next chapter. Sequels might be annoying for some, but I love this universe I've created and all the characters in it!

Everyone give a round of applause to my beta, **MoreColourfulMoniker **for being an awesome person! We owe all the input for this chapter to her and her literary knowledge. It's very extensive too.

o.O.o

**Chapter 15 – Time to Kick Some Romulan Ass **

Her focus was on the console in front of her and the coffee she'd retrieved. She stared at the screen, tracking Nero's progress to Earth, while sipping at the cup. The coffee wasn't helping her in any way; she just liked the comfort of having the mug in her hands.

"Cadet Abbott." She glanced up and jumped at the sight of an elderly Vulcan with a stern face. Beside him, Spock stood rigidly. "Allow me to introduce my father, Sarek."

"You were with Spock at the Ark," Sarek stated, his voice devoid of any feeling. Had this Vulcan completed Kolinahr?

"Yes," she nodded. "I'm sorry for your loss." She really was. Emotion clouded Spock's eyes for a split second, but then he jerked back into the present.

Sarek continued to meet her gaze. "I do not recognise you from Vulcan."

"I was not born or raised on Vulcan," she told him. "I was raised on Earth as a human."

That made him uncomfortable. "That is not the Vulcan way."

"No, it's not," she agreed, "but your son has been teaching me as best he can."

"Do you know your Vulcan parents?" he asked. She shook her head. "Perhaps I can see if they survived."

"Don't bother," she said calmly. "I won't want to see them anyway."

Spock's mouth twitched. "Father, may we continue our discussion elsewhere?"

"Of course," Sarek nodded. "I have met the Vulcan, and now we may talk."

They left and Zia sculled the rest of her coffee. "Uhura," she said, "you've got the console."

"Where are you going?"

Zia sighed. "I need some more coffee."

o.O.o

What a surprise everyone got when Kirk strolled onto the Bridge, three redshirts behind him and a waterlogged man beside him.

Spock looked ready to murder someone. "Who are you?" he demanded.

"I'm with him." So he was a Scotsman.

"He's with me," Kirk said arrogantly.

"We are travelling at Warp Speed," Spock said, his voice low. "How did you manage to beam aboard this ship?"

"You're the genius, you figure it out," Kirk shrugged. Was he mocking him? Zia's eyes narrowed.

"As Acting Captain of this vessel I order you to answer the question," Spock grated.

"Well I'm not telling, _Acting Captain_," Kirk said smoothly. There was a tense pause. "What, now that doesn't frustrate you, does it? My lack of cooperation… that doesn't make you angry-"

Spock focused on the Scotsman. "Are you a member or Starfleet?"

The Scotsman gaped like a fish, his eyes wide, "I, um, yes. Can I get a towel please?"

He was ignored. "Under penalty of court-martial I order you to explain to me how you were able to beam aboard this ship while moving at Warp."

"Well-"

"Don't answer," Kirk interrupted.

"You will answer me," Spock said, his voice dangerously low.

"I'd rather not take sides," the Scotsman said nervously, stepping back.

"What is it with you, Spock?" Kirk asked carelessly, stepping right up to Spock's face. "Your planet was just destroyed; your mother murdered and… you're not even upset."

"If you are presuming that this experience does in any way impede my ability to command this ship, you are mistaken," Spock replied, struggling to keep his voice even. A dull pain entered Zia's head and she fought to keep it down. Why couldn't she be a telepath? That way she could calm him down.

"And yet you were the one that said fear was necessary for command," Kirk said evenly. "Did you see his ship? Did you see what he did?" "

Yes, of course I did."

"So are you afraid, or aren't you?"

"I will not allow you to lecture me about the merits of emotion."

"Then why don't you stop me?" "

Step away from me, Mister Kirk."

"What is it like not to feel anger, or heartbreak? Or the need to stop at nothing to avenge the death of the woman who gave birth to you?"

The pressure was building. Oh, it hurt! "Back away from me," Spock said quietly.

"You feel nothing!" Kirk shouted. "It must not even compute for you! You never loved her!"

Something snapped and Spock roared, swinging his fist up and punching Kirk right in the face, forcing him back a few steps. Kirk fell, his arms pin wheeling, and Spock grabbed his shirt, completely overcome by rage. He threw Kirk against a console and blocked his feeble punches, smacking him right in the stomach before delivering a set of blows to his head and torso, throwing him against another console. Stunned, Kirk couldn't prevent Spock from grabbing his neck and pushing down, blocking off his air supply. Kirk started coughing, his eyes rolling into his head, and Spock kept the strong hold, breathing heavily, anger reddening his vision.

"Spock!" Sarek exclaimed. Yet he still did not stop.

The agony was awful. Zia clutched onto her chair with one hand, holding her head with the other. _'SPOCK!'_ she screamed.

He heard her cry and let go of Kirk's throat, stepping back slowly. Kirk coughed and caught his breath, lying there, seemingly unable to do anything else. Spock turned and saw Zia clutching her head, a trickle of blood running from her nose, and his eyes widened. Her knees gave way and she collapsed in her chair, her face blank as she trembled. She felt his horror at what he'd done to her and he crossed the Bridge, heading for McCoy. Behind him, Kirk slowly got up, staring at the Vulcan with a calculating gaze.

Spock paused in front of McCoy. "Doctor, I am no longer fit for duty. I hereby relinquish my command based on the fact that I have been… emotionally compromised. Please note the time and date in the ships log." He took a breath and left the Bridge, not looking at anyone.

If only they could feel his turmoil – his anger, shame, guilt, pain. If they could, then they would know why he hid those emotions. Zia watched Sarek leave the Bridge after his son, and she approached Kirk.

"I know you," he said.

Without pausing, she slapped him, then turned on her heel and stalked from the Bridge. Everyone watched her go, just like they'd watched Spock, and then all eyes were on Kirk again. She spotted Sarek turning a corner and chased after him, forgetting to wipe her face. People she passed stared at the blood and looked away, as if they'd committed some crime.

"Attention crew of the _Enterprise_." It was Kirk, over the comm. "This is James Kirk. Mister Spock has resigned commission and advanced me to Acting Captain. I know you were all expecting to regroup with the fleet, but I'm ordering a pursuit course of the enemy ship to Earth. I want all departments at battle stations and ready in ten minutes. Either we're going down, or they are – Kirk out."

Zia followed Sarek to the Transporter room. She slid in behind the Vulcan and moved to stand behind some equipment, out of sight, not wanting to intrude on their moment.

Sarek paused just before reaching the Transporter pad. "Speak your mind, Spock."

Spock, standing at the edge of the Transporter pad with his hands behind his back, didn't turn. "That would be unwise," he murmured.

"What is necessary is never unwise." When Sarek spoke quietly, he sounded almost exactly like Spock.

"I am as conflicted as I once was as a child."

"You will always be a child of two worlds. I am grateful for this; and for you."

Spock finally turned to face his father. "I feel anger for the one who took my mother's life; anger I cannot control."

Sarek walked forward to stand in front of his son. "I believe… that she would say… do not try to. You asked me once, why I married your mother. I married her because I loved her." They held gazes for a moment, and then Sarek turned and walked from the room, leaving Spock staring at the floor.

"I know you are there," he said softly. Zia stepped out from behind the equipment and walked up to Spock, her face creased in worry. "Look what I did to you," he said softly, touching her face.

"Don't worry about me," she ordered. "Do what your father says."

"How can I not control it?" He looked away, his jaw twitching. "I have lost my mother, and she was the humanity in me."

"Spock…"

He closed his eyes and his feelings flooded her mind. His entire essence was poured into her and she understood: she was his humanity now.

"I cannot bring her back," he whispered, "but I can be grateful for what I have, and what I have is you."

She blessed him with a watery smile. "You'll always have me." He wiped the blood from her face and they embraced tightly, their grief pouring out again. It was like that for a minute as Spock worked to gain control of his anger so it no longer hurt her.

_'The woman I love…' _

His voice startled her, but she didn't jump. Instead, a smile spread across her face and she pressed the back of his head tenderly. "You're ready to go back now," she murmured. "Let's go kick some Romulan ass."


	16. How to Save Earth 101

This chapter is earlier than usual, because it'll be another late night and you won't want to wait until 9pm for another chapter. But here it is! There's only a couple more chapters left, which is kind of sad because I've really loved this story.

A round of applause for my beta, **MoreColourfulMoniker **for her input and suggestions. You made it great!

Oh, and the title for the sequel is 'Vulcan Hunters' and it is Romance/Suspense. I'm happy with the amount of interest people have shown in it, and hope that it's just as engaging as this.

o.O.o

**Chapter 16 – How to Save Earth 101**

Spock paused at the entrance to the Bridge, listening to Chekov speak. Zia saw Kirk standing with Uhura, Sulu, McCoy, Chekov and the Scotsman, and nudged Spock.

"You can do this," she whispered comfortingly, squeezing his hand. He met eye contact with her, nodded, and approached them after taking a deep breath.

"Doctor, Mister Chekov is correct," he said, pausing as they stared at him. "I can confirm his telemetry. If Mister Sulu is able to manoeuvre us into position, I can beam aboard Nero's ship, steal the black hole device and if possible, bring back Captain Pike." Now he was standing in front of them and only Zia could sense his nervousness.

"I won't allow you to do that, Mister Spock," Kirk shook his head.

Spock looked at him cockily. "Romulans and Vulcans share a common ancestry. Our cultural similarities will make it easier for me to access the ships computer to locate the device. Also, my mother was human, which makes Earth the only home I have left."

Kirk glanced at McCoy and approached Spock, swaying slightly as he moved. "I'm coming with you," he said.

"I would cite regulation," Spock said, "but I know you will simply ignore it."

They stared at each other and Kirk smirked. "See: we are getting to know each other." He slapped Spock's shoulder hard and walked right past him. Confused (but not willing to show it), Spock turned and stared after Kirk. Then he turned and followed, motioning to Zia.

It took mere minutes for the three of them to stop at the armoury, retrieve two utility belts, and reach the Transporter pad.

"How are we Scotty?" Kirk asked as they breezed toward the Transporter pad.

"Unbelievably thorough; the ship is in position," the Scotsman, now Scotty, said from his console.

Kirk activated the comm to the Bridge and Zia took Spock's hands.

"Don't die on me, okay?" she asked.

"I will not," he assured her, the ghost of a smile on his face.

"I'll be monitoring your frequency," she told him. He squeezed her hands and she stepped back as Kirk moved to stand beside Spock. She was now standing beside Scotty, but she still had Vulcan hearing.

"Are you two…?" Kirk asked.

"No," Spock replied. He smirked, "not yet."

"Okey dokey then," Scotty said, "if there's any common sense in the design of the enemy ship, I should be putting you somewhere in the cargo bay; shouldn't be a soul in sight."

"Energise," Kirk ordered. The two of them were engulfed in pure white light and disappeared before everyone's eyes.

o.O.o

Zia raced to the Bridge, rushing past all the other people running. She threw herself into her seat and scanned the Earth's surface. The drill had been activated and was right near Starfleet headquarters and the Academy. She paled. Please let Tara, Blair and the other four hundred cadets be okay.

"Zey have activated ze drill," Chekov exclaimed.

Uhura burst onto the Bridge, panting. "Communicator and Transporter inoperative," she called. "Sulu, please tell me you have them, otherwise we won't be able to beam them back."

Sulu slammed his screen angrily. "Kirk and Spock are on their own now."

o.O.o

On the Romulan ship, Spock and Kirk burst into the ship that held the red matter, panting and racing against time to save the planet.

Spock stared around the ship in confusion. It was white and the design was unlike anything he'd ever seen. Who had built it? "I foresee a complication. The design of this ship is far more advanced than I have anticipated."

_"Voice printer, face recognition analysis enabled," _the ships computer said. "_Welcome back Ambassador Spock."_

Kirk glanced from Spock to the floor. "Wow, that's weird," he muttered before heading to the next room.

Glancing between the red matter and the speakers, Spock frowned. "Computer, what is your manufacturing origin?"

_"Stardate 2387: commissioned by the Vulcan Science Academy." _That was weird. What else had Kirk neglected to tell him?

Spock stalked into the next room. "It appears that you have been keeping important information from me."

Kirk turned to face him. "You'll be able to fly this thing, right?"

"Something tells me I already have."

"Good luck." Kirk turned and made to leave.

"Jim," he said softly. Kirk turned. "The statistical likelihood that our plan will succeed is less than 4.3%."

"It'll work." He turned to leave again. Should he…? Yes, he had to ask this of Kirk.

"In the event that I do not return," he said quickly, stepping forward, "please tell Cadet Abbott-"

"Spock!" Kirk interrupted. "It'll work." Rolling his eyes, Kirk turned and ran from the ship. Spock gritted his teeth and went to the other side of the room, sitting in the chair there. It began to turn automatically, much to his surprise.

"Fascinating," he murmured. Now he just had to fly this ship, save the planet, and get back to Zia.

o.O.o

_'The drill has been destroyed.' _Spock's words were accompanied by an overwhelming emotion of relief.

"The drill's down," she called to Sulu. "Spock destroyed it."

He worked at his controls. "My information says the same thing. Hold on… the Romulans are going into Warp!"

"Follow them," Uhura cried.

"Warping in three… two… one…" The ship flew straight through the planet and into light. "Everyone to battle stations," Sulu ordered through the comm. "Prepare for fire."

Mere minutes passed and all eyes were on Sulu's console. The Romulan ship had dropped out of Warp and there was another ship heading straight for it. Man, it was going to be one messy moment. Hopefully they'd get some time off afterwards.

The _Enterprise _burst from Warp and locked onto dozens of torpedos heading right for Spock's signal.

"Fire all batteries!" Sulu shouted. Their weapons struck each torpedo right on target and they exploded. _Enterprise _flew right on past them and turned. "Locking on to both signals," Sulu said. "Scotty, get ready to beam!"

The small ship was heading right for the Romulan ship. Everyone held their breaths, but Zia was on her feet and running for the Transporter room. As she ran, McCoy and two other doctors joined her and they skid into the room. Captain Pike, Kirk and Spock were coming off the pad looking a little worse for wear, but were otherwise fine. McCoy and the doctors ran straight for Captain Pike, while Zia grinned and threw her arms around Spock for a brief moment. There was time for full reunions later, but right now they had some ass to kick.

Once Captain Pike was secure, Kirk, Spock and Zia ran to the Bridge. Activity sounded all around them and they burst onto the Bridge.

"Keptain," Chekov said, "ze enemy ship is losing power; zeir shields are down, sir."

"Hail them now," Kirk ordered. He moved to stand in front of the window and Spock slid his hand into Zia's. The _Enterprise _was aimed straight at the Romulan ship and they all saw the black hole forming in the middle of it. Wait, shouldn't they be moving _away _from the black hole? She voiced her thought to Spock.

"We must wait until we can hail them," Spock replied, pulling her closer to his side. Nero's face appeared on the window screen.

"This is Captain James T. Kirk of the _U.S.S. Enterprise_," Kirk announced. "Your ship is compromised. You're too close to the singularity to survive without assistance, which we are willing to provide."

Spock let go of Zia's hand and stood beside Kirk. "Captain, what are you doing?" he muttered. Kirk turned his face away from the hail.

"We show them compassion," he whispered. "It may be the only way to earn peace with Romulans. It's logic, Spock! I thought you'd like that."

"No, not really," Spock muttered. "Not this time."

Nero finally spoke. "I would rather suffer the death of Romulus a thousand times. I would rather die in agony than accept assistance from _you_."

"You got it," Kirk grinned. He and Spock moved back around to the Captain's chair. "Arm phasers, fire everything we've got!"

"Yes, sir," Sulu nodded. As Kirk sat down, the _Enterprise _began to fire on the _Narada_, completely decimating the Romulan ship. Spock grabbed Zia's hand and led her to their seats, not letting go once they were seated. Uhura glanced at their joined hands enviously before refocusing on the Romulan ship. Under the assault from both the black hole and _Enterprise_, the ship was ripped into little pieces and swallowed by the vacuum. Zia knew a lot about black holes from physics class, and she knew that there was no way anyone aboard that ship had survived. She and Spock shared a look, but there was no smile.

Alarms rang out. "Sulu, let's go!" Kirk shouted. They were far too close to the black hole.

"Yes sir!" Sulu replied, his fingers flying across his console. But it wasn't enough. The gravitational pull from the black hole was slowly dragging them into the void and their engines weren't powerful enough to get them out of it.

"Why aren't we at Warp?" Kirk demanded.

"We are sir!" Chekov shouted.

"Kirk to Engineering, get us outta here Scotty!"

Zia gripped Spock's hand tightly and stared at him, her eyes wide. He attempted to send calming emotions, but it wasn't possible since he was worried too. So instead he grasped both her hands in his own and tried to stay as still as possible.

Cracks began to appear in the ceiling as their area of space began to shrink. Those cracks spread to the front window and the non-breathable atmosphere threatened them all. Kirk was shouting to Scotty through the comm, but the roar of the ship and blare of alarms filled Zia's sensitive hearing. She took a deep breath and gripped the sides of her chair with her legs, focusing on the warmth of Spock's hands. At least she could feel something good before dying.

_'We are not going to perish!' _Spock shouted in her head.

A huge explosion burst right behind the _Enterprise_, and the shockwave smashed into the ship, throwing everyone backwards. Zia hit her console hard, pain flaring in her shoulder, and only her grip on Spock's hands kept her steady. He pulled her back into her seat as the shockwave shook the ship, pushing it forward. White light filled their visions, before the _Enterprise _was thrown forward and away from the black hole. Consoles sparked and steam hissed, but they were in one piece. Spock had one of his rare smiles on his face as he glanced at both Zia and Kirk.

_'See?' _he said. _'We did not perish.'_

"I hate you," she grinned.


	17. A Good Homecoming

Only one more chapter to go. Nooo! But I hope this chapter has all the fluff you've been wanting! I just pray I've done the _Star Trek _universe justice.

My thanks to my beta, **MoreColourfulMoniker, **who gave me advice and perfected this story, you're the bomb diggity!

o.O.o

**Chapter 17 – A Good Homecoming **

The _Enterprise_ was safe, as was her crew. It would be a week-long journey to Earth at maximum speed, since their Warp Core had been destroyed. Spock, tired from everything that had happened in the last day, was eager for some rest.

On his way to his room, he was stopped by Uhura. "Why?" she asked.

"I am not sure I understand." He tilted his head.

"Is it because of Zia?" she asked, glancing around nervously. There was no one in sight.

"I still do not understand."

"You knew I had feelings for you. I thought you had feelings for me."

"You must be mistaken, Lieutenant. I harbour nothing except a professors regard. You were one of my best cadets, but now I believe you will be graduating earlier than expected."

"Don't change the subject. Just… please… did you ever like me in that way?" She did sound upset.

Spock fought back a sigh. "No. I never did."

"Now there's Zia."

"I apologise for any misunderstanding," he told her. She gave him a strained smile and looked away, biting her lip. Spock wouldn't pity her for long. After all, he'd given her no encouragement on his side. He'd never expressed any interest. Uhura was young. She'd find someone someday.

o.O.o

Upon their arrival back on Earth, the crew of the _Enterprise_ were labelled heroes of Starfleet for single-handedly saving the entire planet. The Vulcans got to work locating a suitable planet for them to live on. The entire Academy had lined up to welcome the crew off their shuttles, clapping as each person appeared. When Zia walked off, Tara shrieked and ran to her, hugging her tightly.

"So this is where you were!" she cried. "I thought you'd gone home to your parents."

"I thought that's where you were going," Zia replied, smiling at her roommate.

"Yeah, but then I heard that Vulcan was in danger. That drill thing was terrifying."

"At least you're okay," Zia sighed.

After that, the_ Enterprise_ was put in for repairs and Spock suggested that her crew go to Ripley's bar in upper San Francisco to celebrate. He thought it fitting, as that was a bar that Zia liked, as well as the rest of the crew.

Zia sat in a circle of couches with Spock on one side and Uhura on the other. Uhura was talking to Zia again. For the whole week on the ship Uhura had ignored the Vulcan for unknown reasons. After a heartfelt questioning, Uhura had revealed her feelings for Spock. Once learning the truth, Zia had been shocked and offered her support. It was hard for Uhura to stay mad at her. She was just so nice.

"Come on Spock!" Kirk cried. "Just one shot!"

"Alcohol does not affect Vulcans," Spock replied stoically, raising his eyebrow. Chekov, Sulu and Scotty were already tipsy and out on the dance floor with some ladies they'd just met.

"What about you?" Kirk asked Zia.

"No thanks," she shook her head. "I'm still not letting you give me a drink."

"And I'm never gonna forgive you for slapping me," he said, downing a shot.

"When did that event take place?" Spock asked. This was new information.

"After you beat me up," Kirk grinned like a crazy man, "she came over and slapped me good." He turned to Uhura. "You wanna dance?"

"Sure," she smiled, standing up with him. "No inappropriate touching," she ordered, wagging her finger at him.

"Okay," he said, raising his hands in surrender. "Hey, what's your first name?"

"Still not telling," she told him. Rolling her eyes at Zia, she followed Kirk to the dance floor, leaving Spock and Zia sitting at the couch alone.

"Will you be visiting your parents before the holidays are over?" he asked.

"Probably," she sighed. "Your memories show that they are good people. I would like to meet them someday."

"Okay." She paused. "Would you like to dance?"

"I would like nothing more." He took her hand and they went to the dance floor to show everyone how true Vulcans danced.

o.O.o

"Are you certain about this?" Spock asked her.

"I'm certain," she nodded. They disembarked the shuttle and stared across Utah in spring – green grass, orange dirt and a mountain view. It reminded Zia a bit of Vulcan.

"I do not think your parents will approve of me," he said, grabbing their bags.

"Come on. It is spring holidays and even my roommate has gone home to see her family. You said that you would like to meet my parents, so here we are."

Sighing, Spock walked down the shuttle ramp with Zia and she drove one of Starfleet's cars (which were reserved for cadets coming to see their families) across country to the large town she'd grown up in. Thankfully the town was only thirty minutes' away from the shuttle station, so it didn't take long. Spock used the time to meditate and calm himself before meeting her parents. While they weren't an official couple, everyone treated them as one, so he had to be careful how he went about this.

"Stop worrying," Zia sighed. She sensed his mind searching for something to talk about.

"Are you experiencing any nightmares?" he asked.

"No, oddly enough," she grinned. "I've been sleeping really well. Your teachings have allowed me to bury the emotion." Her grin faded. "Maybe it had something to do with the destruction of Vulcan."

"Do not think of it," he said quickly. They were tuned into each other's emotions, and they both knew how deeply the pain of losing Vulcan and most of its people had cut. But they had each other and when one was distraught the other sought them out and they comforted one another.

Soon they parked outside a café in the town called Payson. Zia turned off the engine and got out of the car, straightening the pretty white dress she wore. It flowed loose over her body and complimented her Vulcan features and auburn hair. Spock was dressed in jeans and a loose t-shirt, which made the pair of them look as normal as possible. However, as Vulcans, they definitely wouldn't look normal. Not by a long shot.

They closed the car doors and Zia clutched her purse as they headed into the café for lunch. They'd agreed to stop somewhere and get to her parents' house in the afternoon, when her dad was home from work. Spock opened the door for Zia and all eyes turned to them as they entered. Swallowing, Zia went to a booth in a corner and sat, Spock sitting opposite her.

A waitress came over. "What'll it be?"

"Just four Kreyla and Plomeek, please Victoria?" Zia smiled.

Victoria – the waitress – blinked. "Is it really Zia Abbott? I thought you were at Starfleet." She turned on her heel and retreated quickly.

"I believe she was one of your bullies," Spock said calmly, tapping the table.

"Yeah, she was one of the leaders," Zia yawned. "Once she wore a ring that tore flesh from my side."

"I also believe that they will be afraid of you now," he continued.

"That's the thing with bullies," she sighed. "They're confident until you have the higher ground."

Zia was proud of herself. She was no longer the shy cadet who had nightmares and kept to herself. Being on the Enterprise had changed her. Falling for Spock had changed her. Now she was self-confident and she knew her own abilities. She was a woman.

Victoria returned with their food, barely glancing at Zia. Both Vulcans could see the fear in her body language and it was satisfying. They ate leisurely, talking about Kirk's promotion in a week, when he would be declared Captain of the _Enterprise_. Spock told her of his wish to serve as First Officer. He also told her about his encounter with Spock Prime, who baffled her completely. She was shocked to find out that they lived in an alternate reality, and wondered what her life was like in the other reality.

"I'll go to the counter and pay," she told him. "You stay here and out of trouble." She grabbed her purse and strolled to the front counter, waiting for someone to come and collect the money.

Behind her, the door opened. "Who do we have here?"

Zia froze, recognising the voice. "Well, if it isn't Dane Caster," she said calmly, turning to face him. Her worst childhood tormentor stood behind her with two of his mates behind him. Caster gaped at her for a second, before regaining his composure.

"Well, if it isn't Miss Zia Abbott. Was Starfleet not good enough for you? My, you've turned out very hot for a hobgoblin."

Her eyes narrowed. "I dare you to repeat that last sentence."

"I said: my, you've turned out very hot for a hobgoblin." Caster leered and stepped closer. "You're still worth nothing."

Spock stood and moved beside her, his annoyance prickling in her head. "Is there a problem?" he asked.

"This is Dane Caster," Zia explained. "He's a good-for-nothing scoundrel who gets satisfaction from beating up people who don't know how to defend themselves. Caster, this is Commander Spock from the _U.S.S. Enterprise_, the ship that saved the planet a few days ago."

Caster looked shocked, but covered it with a sneer. "You've gotta do a lot more than scare me with some macho hobgoblin," he spat.

"Mister Caster," Spock said, his voice deceptively calm, "you do not want to tempt the wrath of a Vulcan. Miss Abbott knows a lot more about fighting than she used to."

"Fine," Caster shrugged. "Have it your way." He and his mates sat in the booth Spock had just vacated.

"Thanks," Zia whispered to Spock. He said nothing but placed his arm around her waist, claiming her as his.

o.O.o

Giana and Patty Abbott were not what Spock expected.

They weren't just warm and caring. They loved to joke, tease, and play practical jokes. Actually, they were quite like his deceased mother.

"So you were her physics professor?" Giana asked.

"I was, yes," Spock replied, "but I have been transferred to a Starship and no longer keep a teaching position."

"And you fancy our daughter," Patty said.

Spock blinked. "I-"

"Don't sweat it young man! You helped her through a difficult time, and we'll always be grateful. Have you kissed her yet?"

"No…"

"You should probably kiss her."

Spock knew she wanted to be kissed, but he also knew that she was afraid of physical intimacy. He was determined to wait until she was ready before taking any drastic steps. The relationship he was building with Zia made coping with the loss of his planet and mother easier. He wasn't willing to lose her.

Giana smiled. "I like you. You're going to treat our daughter right. You've been protecting her for months, after all, when we weren't there."

"Thank you," he nodded. Zia came in the living room, clean from her shower, and smiled at him. Spock's eyes were riveted on her mouth, and he knew her parents were right.

"How did you like dinner sweetheart?" Giana asked her daughter.

"It was beautiful," Zia grinned. "Thanks."

Spock allowed himself to relax in the armchair, content to be a part of this family for as long as he could.

o.O.o

They stayed in Utah for one night before returning to Starfleet. Zia was happy to have seen her parents and she sensed that a weight had been lifted from Spock. He was calmer than he had been before, and she knew it was her turn to help him recover.

Now they stood in front of her room. Spock lowered her bag onto the floor and nodded. "I trust you enjoyed yourself."

"I did." She smiled warmly. "Thank you."

_'Zia,'_ he whispered. The words in her mind were accompanied by the usual emotion, but this time it was something else entirely. '_I love you.' _

She focused on her own emotions, channelling them over to him. _'I love you.' _

A smile stretched across Spock's face – a full, warm smile. He took her face in his hands, moved forward, and kissed her.

It had the same effect as a mind-meld. Electricity flooded her body, setting her skin on fire. His ecstasy flooded her mind and they were lost in a world of passion and love. By sheer chance they had found each other, and they weren't going to give up easily.


	18. Another Trek Begins

Yes, this is unfortunately the last chapter of this particular story. The support has just been wonderful! 64 reviews and favourites, and 86 follows. Thank you to everyone who has faithfully followed my work. It's readers like you who make writing enjoyable!

And a humongous-fungus thank you to **MoreColourfulMoniker, **whose consistent beta-ing and critique has made this story a masterpiece. You are absolutely brilliant!

Oh, and the first chapter to the sequel, _Vulcan Hunters _should be posted shortly too, so read if you dare, for Zia and Spock's story continues...

o.O.o

**Chapter 18 – Another Trek Begins**

"This assembly calls Captain James Tiberius Kirk," Admiral Barnett said. "Your inspirational valour and supreme dedication to your comrades is keeping with the highest traditions of service, and reflect utmost credit to yourself, your crew and the Federation. It is my honour to award you with this commendation." The Admiral held up a red medallion and pinned it to Kirk's uniform. "By Starfleet order 28455 you are hereby directed to report to Admiral Pike, _U.S.S. Enterprise, _for duty as his relief." Kirk and the Admiral shook hands, grinning.

Kirk walked to where Admiral Pike waited in his wheelchair and stood up straight. "I relieve you sir."

Admiral Pike smiled. "I am relieved."

"Thank you sir," Kirk grinned.

"Congratulations Captain. Your father would be proud." Both men shook hands. All around them, applause broke out. Zia and Spock clapped and cheered alongside everyone else – the four hundred cadets remaining at the Academy and thirty professors. New ones would be brought in next year to replace the ones that had died.

Later on that evening, Spock walked Zia back to her room. "I cannot convince you to come with us, can I?"

"No," she laughed. "I need to stay at the Academy and finish my studies. As soon as I graduate, I'll be there; unless of course the planet is in danger again."

"The _Enterprise _will await your arrival, but in the meantime be certain to keep to your studies," he advised.

"I will. There's something I've been wondering though…"

"Yes?"

"I read a bit about mind-melds, but they said nothing about speaking in each other's minds. How can we do it?"

"The only way to speak between minds is to share emotion. Since most Vulcans do not approve of emotion, it is rarely practiced."

"So we can speak, but we just have to convey emotion?"

"Yes."

"Wow," she grinned, facing Spock outside her room. "You learn something new every day."

He smiled one of his rare smiles – that he only used around her – and took her hand. "Every time we are on Earth, I will come and see you."

"You better," she grinned. "How else will I keep sane?"

o.O.o

The turbolift doors opened and Spock stepped out in his blue uniform, "Permission to come aboard, Captain?"

Kirk grinned. "Permission granted."

Satisfied, Spock approached the Captain's chair. "As you have yet to select a First Officer, respectfully, I would like to submit my candidacy. Should you desire, I can provide character references." Kirk was standing now, a smile on his face.

"It would be my honour Commander."

Spock nodded and moved to his console, joy inside him.

_'I told you that you'd get it.'_

_'It is undignified to gloat.'_

"Manoeuvring thrusters, Mister Sulu," Kirk ordered, sitting in his chair.

"Thrusters on standby," Sulu announced.

"Take us out."

"Aye, aye Captain," Sulu grinned.

_'I'll think of you every day, Spock.'_

_'As will I, Zia.'_

Then the _Enterprise _jumped into Warp, signalling the start of a new adventure.

o.O.o

In her dorm room, Zia sat on her bed with her physics textbook open on her lap. She knew that she was going to join Spock on the _Enterprise _when she completed her fourth year at the Academy – perhaps even her third. Thinking about it, she knew what Uhura had been so excited about.

"Hey," Tara said as she entered. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Zia sighed, "Spock's just gone into Warp."

"Don't worry," Tara assured her, "he'll be back." She grabbed her towel and headed into the bathroom.

Zia lay back and closed her eyes, Spock's voice echoing in her head.

_'Space… the final frontier. These are the continuing voyages of the Starship _Enterprise_. Her ongoing mission… to explore strange new worlds… to seek out new life forms, and new civilisations… To boldly go, where no one has gone… before…'_


End file.
